News — SouthAsianCulture

4 min read Photo Source: ASOS Yesterday, UK-based blogging platform for the South Asian community at large, Pardesi, was rife with an interesting, spirited debate on cultural appropriation. A fellow writer had caught sight of ASOS’ latest boho/festival fashion collection featuring a brown model dressed in an array of visibly desi, embellished ensembles and the “consistently exploited” teeka, yet again. But nowhere in the description were the outfits credited to their cultural roots. The lehenga was described as a “mesh skirt,” while the choli/blouse was a “beaded bodice.” It clearly reeked of white privilege. ASOS hired a brown model to...