Ralph Lauren ‘Jhumka’ Earrings Creates Debate Between Appreciation and Appropriation

When Culture Becomes Aesthetic The Line Between Inspiration And Appropriation

There is a very specific kind of frustration that is hard to explain unless you have lived it.

It is the feeling of watching something that was once quietly yours become loudly everyone else’s. Not in a shared, celebratory way, but in a way that feels slightly detached from where it came from.

Lately, that feeling has been showing up everywhere. In fashion, in beauty, in wellness. And it always seems to circle back to the same question. Where is the line between inspiration and appropriation, and who gets to draw it?

The conversation has picked up again after Ralph Lauren faced criticism for styling pieces that closely resembled traditional jhumkas on a Paris runway without acknowledging their cultural roots. Around the same time, something as familiar as a dupatta was casually reframed as a Scandinavian style scarf in fashion conversations.

Then there was Gracie Abrams stepping onto the Oscars red carpet in a lehenga, sparking a different kind of discussion. One that sat somewhere between appreciation and aesthetic borrowing.

None of these moments exist in isolation. They are part of a much larger pattern. One where elements of Indian culture, from chai to hair oiling to Ayurveda and Yoga, are being repackaged, renamed, and reintroduced as trends.

And as someone who grew up with these things as part of everyday life, that shift feels complicated.

Not entirely wrong, but not entirely right either.

The Quiet Things That Suddenly Became Loud

For a long time, many of these practices were not considered aspirational.

Hair oiling was something your mother insisted on before a school day, not a luxury ritual with aesthetic packaging. Drinking chai was just having tea, not ordering a “chai tea latte” with a curated spice profile. Ayurveda was not a trend, it was something that existed in the background of everyday health conversations.

There was no performance attached to any of it.

And that is what makes the current moment feel so layered. The same things that once felt ordinary, sometimes even dismissed or misunderstood, are now being reframed as elevated, aesthetic, and desirable.

On one hand, there is a sense of validation in seeing these traditions gain recognition.

On the other hand, there is a quiet discomfort in watching them lose context in the process.

Because when something becomes a trend, it often gets simplified. Stripped down to its most visually appealing parts. Detached from the meaning it originally held.

And that is where the tension begins.

Fashion’s Ongoing Relationship With Cultural Borrowing

Fashion has always borrowed from culture. That part is not new.

Designers have looked to different regions, traditions, and histories for inspiration for decades. Sometimes it results in beautiful cross cultural dialogue. Other times, it feels more like extraction than inspiration.

The recent moment with Ralph Lauren is a perfect example of how thin that line can be.

Jhumkas are not just decorative earrings. They carry cultural and historical significance across different regions in India. They are tied to occasions, traditions, and identity.

Seeing something that closely resembles them appear on a global runway without acknowledgment can feel less like inspiration and more like omission.

The same applies to the dupatta being reframed under a completely different cultural lens. It is not just a scarf. It is a garment with its own history, styling traditions, and meaning. When those details are erased, what remains is the aesthetic, but not the story. And that is often what people react to. Not the borrowing itself, but the lack of credit.

Moments like Gracie Abrams wearing a lehenga bring a slightly different angle to the conversation.

There is a visible appreciation there. A willingness to engage with the clothing in a way that feels respectful. But it still raises questions about context, styling, and understanding.

Is it a celebration of the culture, or is it a styling choice detached from its original meaning?

The answer is not always clear. And that is what makes this conversation so nuanced. Not every instance falls neatly into right or wrong. There are layers of intent, execution, and reception that all play a role.

But what remains consistent is the importance of acknowledgment.

Cultural exchange can be beautiful when it feels like a dialogue rather than a one sided interpretation.

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I have gone back and forth on how I feel about all of this. There are moments when it feels nice to see elements of my culture being appreciated on a global scale. There is a sense of visibility that did not exist in the same way before. But there are also moments when it feels frustrating. Growing up, many of these things were not considered cool or aspirational. They were just part of life. Sometimes they were even misunderstood or reduced to stereotypes and now, seeing them reappear as trends, often without acknowledgment, creates a strange sense of distance.

It is not about gatekeeping culture.

It is about recognition.

It is about understanding that these practices and aesthetics come from somewhere. That they carry meaning beyond how they look or how they can be marketed. And when that meaning gets lost, it feels like something important is missing.

There are aspects of this global interest in cultural elements that are genuinely positive.

Increased visibility can lead to greater appreciation. It can open doors for more diverse representation in fashion, beauty, and wellness spaces.

It also creates opportunities for cultural exchange that can be meaningful when done thoughtfully.

When brands collaborate with artisans, when creators share the history behind what they are using, when there is an effort to credit and learn, it shifts the dynamic. It becomes less about taking and more about sharing and that is when it feels right.

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Inspiration is inevitable in a connected world. Cultures will continue to influence each other. That is part of how creativity evolves.

But there is a difference between being inspired by something and presenting it as something new without acknowledging its roots.

The solution is not to stop borrowing. It is to borrow responsibly.

To give credit. To understand context. To include the voices that created and sustained these traditions.

Love,

Rae

Image Credits - Anubhaw Anand