Gucci is once again being slammed for cultural appropriation after their ‘Indy Full Turban’ was seen on Nordstrom’s website for $800 (closer to $1200 AUD).
The turban had previously been shown at the February 2018 Gucci fashion show, with the brand receiving backlash for showing it on a white model and its cultural dismissal of Sikh people.
Gucci has lost their minds, first it was the blackface piece, now it's the #indyturban. STOP !!!! pic.twitter.com/kiWU3pGZqy
— Tie ✊??✊?? (@Tyecolt) May 16, 2019
The Sikh Coalition writes that a turban “can be worn by men and women alike. The turban was historically worn by royalty in South Asia, and the Gurus adopted this practice as a way of asserting the sovereignty and equality of all people.
“For a Sikh, wearing a turban asserts a public commitment to maintaining the values and ethics of the tradition, including service, compassion, and honesty.”
The Nordstrom site describes the turban as, “A gorgeously crafted turban is ready to turn heads while keeping you in comfort as well as trademark style,” and at the time of writing, it appears to be sold out.
Unsurprisingly, people are seriously mad about the whole situation:
This is beyond aggravating. Did someone at @gucci even bother to figure out what a dastaar (turban) means to Sikhs? Did it cross your minds to consider the history behind our identity? My people are discriminated against, even killed, for wearing a turban. pic.twitter.com/G62edSmjhf
— Aasees Kaur (@SouthernSikh) May 14, 2019
The turban is not just an accessory to monetize; it's a religious article of faith that millions of Sikhs view as sacred. Many find this cultural appropriation inappropriate, since those wearing the turban just for fashion will not appreciate its deep religious significance. pic.twitter.com/fldmxa3Wvr
— Sikh Coalition (@sikh_coalition) May 14, 2019
Wow. @Gucci and @Nordstrom are selling turbans as fashion items.
We're attacked and killed for how we look, and now corporations get to profit off that same look?
Feels wrong to me. Your thoughts? https://t.co/Em9UELbkTB
— Simran Jeet Singh (@SikhProf) May 15, 2019
@Nordstrom please take this down. Turbans are supposed to promote equality among the people. Selling a turban, let alone a "Gucci" one, that is $750 is not right. It promotes the opposite of equality. There's so much more I could say, but in short, please take this down. https://t.co/j0zd6cI3hn
— Harman ➰ (@_harman_kaur_) May 15, 2019
Others made a particularly good point about how corporations are profiting off cultural appropriation, while people have been attacked and even killed for wearing turbans in the past.
Wow. @Gucci and @Nordstrom are selling turbans as fashion items.
We're attacked and killed for how we look, and now corporations get to profit off that same look?
Feels wrong to me. Your thoughts? https://t.co/Em9UELbkTB
— Simran Jeet Singh (@SikhProf) May 15, 2019
@gucci @Nordstrom Dastar/“Sikh turban” comes w/ great responsibility. Sikhs were boiled alive & cut limb by limb for tying it. Post 9/11- bullied & murdered. Sikhi is accessible not luxurious. $5 for the cloth we die(d) for. #culturalappropriation at the expense of #Sikhgenocide pic.twitter.com/NbPXvWlEEt
— Jasjit Singh (@JasjitSDhanoa) May 14, 2019
Another user pointed out the turbans are “fake” because “practicing Sikhs tie them fold-by-fold.”
Dear @gucci, the Sikh Turban is not a hot new accessory for white models but an article of faith for practising Sikhs. Your models have used Turbans as ‘hats’ whereas practising Sikhs tie them neatly fold-by-fold. Using fake Sikhs/Turbans is worse than selling fake Gucci products pic.twitter.com/sOaKgNmgwR
— Harjinder Singh Kukreja (@SinghLions) May 16, 2019
All of this comes after Gucci released what appeared to be a blackface inspired jumper which was quickly pulled from sale and production.
So ya'll just going to let #Gucci act like they ain't know better? #Blackface
STOP supporting brands that mock you! #BoycottGucci pic.twitter.com/TwPaAkZH6D
— VENUS?"Viva la RESISTANCE!" (@blubuttafly16) February 7, 2019
At the time, Gucci boss Marco Bizzarri said at the Conde Nast luxury conference in Cape Town, “It was a mistake…. And for me it has been a great learning experience.”
“It was something that we did not expect. Many people in the company did not see that it could be interpreted as blackface.”
Perhaps those many people in the company need to be given a talk on cultural appropriation…