Recently, Ralph Lauren unveiled a line of silver dangling earrings at Paris Fashion Week that closely resembled South Asian jhumkas. They may have been described as elegant vintage drop earrings on the runway, but for desis watching online, the resemblance was unmistakable.
Images and videos from the runway circulated rapidly, and the internet was quick to notice the irony. The same jhumkas you could easily pick up from a neighbourhood jewellery stall for a few hundred rupees are now showing up in luxury fashion spaces for hundreds of dollars.
The Pattern We’ve Seen Before
This moment feels familiar because it has happened before. When Prada showcased leather sandals that looked like traditional Kolhapuri chappals, social media quickly nicknamed them “Pradapuris.” Kolhapuris, handcrafted for generations by artisans in Maharashtra, suddenly looked like a luxury fashion item. The jhumka moment feels like a repetition of the same kind.
Desi Style Irony
For many Indians, jhumkas are not luxury items. They are everyday accessories, something worn at weddings, festivals, family functions, or even college. They are accessible and colourful. What has always been ordinary and familiar at home is suddenly being presented as something newly discovered.
This new wave of westernisation of traditional goods feels like a toll on the original makers, it feels like an invasion into our style. Trends are always influenced by some sort of culture or old style, but copying something without acknowledgement and credit feels invasive.
One caption read: “Featuring vintage accessories and select pieces crafted by Native American designers Neil Zarama, Jimmy Begay, and TÓPA as part of Ralph Lauren’s Authentic Makers and Artist in Residence programs,” with no mention of India or its heritage, traditional jhumkas.
A huge public debate had risen online, where users on platforms like X rigorously slammed the fashion house for not crediting the original creators of the jewellery piece. One user commented in all caps, “I’m so tired of our fashion and culture being exploited while we’re not allowed into these spaces ourselves.”
Ralph Lauren’s Response
Following the debate, Ralph Lauren said the jewellery was created through its Authentic Makers and Artist in Residence programmes in collaboration with Native American designers Neil Zarama, Jimmy Begay, and TÓPA.
The brand stated the initiative aims to work directly with communities that influence its Southwestern design aesthetic rather than simply drawing inspiration.
As traditional pieces like jhumkas continue to appear on global runways, the conversation is no longer just about inspiration; it’s about recognition. Celebrating these designs is welcome, but without acknowledgement, it feel like an insult.
