Multicultural Fashion… Stirrings of Another Sense of Aesthetics and Memory (original) (raw)
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International Journal of Anglo-Indian Studies, 2018
In this paper I draw on accounts of women teachers from the Anglo-Indian community to respond to a debate that occurred in the Indian media in 2018 regarding the representation of the sari as the 'national dress'. This debate occurred following the comments of celebrated fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee at Harvard University, USA, where he stated that Indian women who do not know how to tie a sari should be ashamed of themselves. Mukherjee went on to equate the sari with national identity, thereby otherising the sartorial traditions and cultural identities of many linguistic, regional and religious minorities in India including Anglo-Indians. Mukherjee's position is not isolated. It is seen that women's bodies often become the sites on which national and community identities are inscribed. For instance, until a few years ago, some Anglo-Indian schools in Bangalore required women teachers from the community to wear Western dress. Based on women teachers' accounts I argue that popular and powerful figures like Mukherjee attempt to inscribe national or community identities on the bodies of women by prescribing their clothing choices. Although women themselves evoke different strategies to conform with or to challenge these prescriptions, this enactment of agency does not always protect their identities from being threatened by majoritarian tendencies and leaves them vulnerable to harassment and prejudice.
Full paper -Fashion beyound borders IFFTI 2011 -Multicultural identities Indian Sari -Dec 2011.pdf
The Sari (a rectangular length of fabric 6 / 9 yards) continues to be an integral garment draped by the Indian woman since the Harappan times. India continues to be a melting pot of myriad cultures. The Indian women have maintained their identity through their dress-the Sari amidst all these cultural & socio political exchanges. As the civilizations developed and expanded in the different geographic regions of the Indian subcontinent; various regions/subcultures evolved the sari draping style which gave a very unique regional identity to the wearer. Till about the 1970's the Indian women wore the sari draped in their regional style. The sari consumption pattern has changed; they have given up their traditional saris for cheaper mill made ones due to various reasons. It is a very versatile garment; one size fits all and has a sustainable life cycle. Ethnic craft sustenance design directions & vintage fashions have created a gradual shift towards the handloom and hand embroidered masterpieces of Indian crafts persons. The sari fashions have become more inclusive, where there is fashionable sari to suit every pocket, taste and occasion the party wear sari, the black cocktail sari, bridal sari, designer sari etc. The sari is a symbol of womanhood in Hindu culture. It is a unique drape which imparts a customized style expression to each individual woman, reflecting her activity, moods in an effective way & also conveys her socioeconomic status. The multicultural identities and the inferred communication of sari is presented in this paper highlighting how the sari has reinvented its drape, embellishment, fabric & coordinating garment has altered. The frequency of wearing has varied periodically but it remains in vogue and women in each fashion era continue to decode it in their own unique way.
2018
In this paper I draw on accounts of women teachers from the Anglo-Indian community to respond to a debate that occurred in the Indian media in 2018 regarding the representation of the sari as the ‘national dress’. This debate occurred following the comments of celebrated fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee at Harvard University, USA, where he stated that Indian women who do not know how to tie a sari should be ashamed of themselves. Mukherjee went on to equate the sari with national identity, thereby otherising the sartorial traditions and cultural identities of many linguistic, regional and religious minorities in India including Anglo-Indians. Mukherjee’s position is not isolated. It is seen that women’s bodies often become the sites on which national and community identities are inscribed. For instance, until a few years ago, some Anglo-Indian schools in Bangalore required women teachers from the community to wear Western dress. Based on women teachers’ accounts I argue that p...