A Canada-based Indian woman has taken to Instagram to draw attention to racism in fashion – and more.
Most Indian women ditch their desi attire abroad and are ashamed to carry them. To challenge that, Amoolia Sai, a graphic designer, has released an illustrative series of Photoshopped images of Indian outfits on well-known American stars as a celebration of the Indian culture.
In her Instagram Post, the artist says that she decided to start the series after a distasteful episode on a Toronto street, where she encountered a woman in salwar kameez being mocked by a few Indian girls.
The Quint brings you the collection of Sai’s #TheTouchofIndia images.
Appreciating a Unique Culture
In an Instagram post, Sai said it was ironic that people are teased for choosing Indian clothes and bindis that represent their culture, because when big stars like Beyonce wear that, it becomes “cool and fancy.”
“It’s upsetting how people look down upon those who are not afraid to portray their culture,” Sai told Buzzfeed. “Instead, they appreciate celebrities like Vanessa Hudgens or Kylie Jenner, who use symbols from other cultures such as the bindi to make a ‘fashion statement’.”
The artist hopes the series will encourage people to appreciate their culture and heritage.
The photos have obviously resonated with Indians abroad, who tend to find themselves in a dilemma over staying true to their culture and adapting to fit in the new environment.
Doesn’t desi-fying American stars reinforce stereotypes? Does it really help in making some ‘culture’ and ‘heritage’ acceptable, and in extent combat racism?
We wonder.
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