A recent article in the Vogue India August issue has caused some controversy. There are images showing average/poor Indians wearing designer clothing. Some clothes that they are posing in cost more than they make in a whole year. Many people have found this to be distasteful and disrespectful.
The editorial spread was “not just tacky but downright distasteful” said Kanika Gahlaut, a columnist for the daily newspaper Mail Today that is based here, who denounced it as an “example of vulgarity.”
When confronted with the issue, Vogue India editor, Priya Tanna, tells folks to “Lighten up…fashion is no longer a rich man’s privilege. Anyone can carry it off and make it look beautiful.” It is a true statement that anyone can make fashion look beautiful, but the real problem is that this type of fashion will never be consumed by the social class these “models” are representing. The men and women used in the photo shoot probably do not even know what they are posing for. The magazine does not even acknowledge the people in these photographs.
I know that there are many wealthy people in India that will surely buy these type of items – shouldn’t we see them in these pictures?
I guess everyone’s opinion of art is different, but Vogue India has definitely stirred the pot with this one.
My fiance and I were driving down Michigan Ave in Chicago when we noticed something interesting. Right above the Kenneth Cole store was a HUGE giant sized advertisement display…with a Punjabi model. Here is what caught our eye:
The model within this poster is Sonny Caberwal. An aspiring South Asian entrepreneur who got the chance of a lifetime to represent Kenneth Cole in this ad campaign. Here is a brief bio of Sonny, provided by Awareness.com:
Sonny is a Sikh entrepreneur who was born and raised in North Carolina. He currently lives in San Francisco, where he helps startups in the Bay Area identify and execute business development and strategic growth opportunities. He graduated from Duke University in 2001, and Georgetown University Law Center in 2004. Prior to moving to the Bay Area, Sonny lived in Manhattan, where he was a practicing attorney before leaving to co-found Tavalon Tea, a premium tea brand.
Sonny, whose proper name is Sandeep, was also featured within the “We Walk In Different Shoes” Kenneth Cole video ad campaign. Here is a video clip of Sunny starring in that ad:
Congrats to Sonny for getting the opportunity to represent the Sikh and South Asian community within the Kenneth Cole ads. Great job bud! We hope to see ya in more stuff soon!
Living in the United States all my life, I’ve noticed through the years that Indian style tattoos (specifically the Om sign and Hindu gods) have really become popular among Tattoo bearing individuals. Nowadays, its hard to walk through a mall or a college campus without seeing a Ganesh, Krishna, Vishnu, Shiva or other Hindu god plastered on somebody’s arm or on somebody’s T-shirt.
It’s kind of flattering to see that so many individuals (South Asians and Non South Asians) are recognizing the beauty and spiritual significance of these Hindu gods…or are they? Do they really understand the meaning of the Om sign and what it represents? Does a Ganesh on somebody’s back mean that they truly understand the role that Ganesh plays in one’s spiritual journey?
Some signs point to Yes. Most of the individuals we’ve spoken with fully understand the meaning of their Hindu based body art. Most in fact, have spent extensive time researching and understanding the meaning and purpose behind their chosen figures. For a tattooed individual, not understanding the meaning of your own body art is the biggest sin.
So what goes through your mind when you see individuals tattooed with the Om or any of the Hindu gods? Is it a sign of respect for the Hindu religion or is it the opposite?
We want to see your tattoos! If you have a tattoo that relates to South Asian culture or religion and want to share it with our blog audience, please send a pic to Support@SABAsearch.com. We will gather all of the tattoo pics and display them in a future blog post.
Want to check out some cool Hindu tattoo ideas? Follow this link.
