Ralph Lauren’s Rs 31,000 Bandhani Skirt Under Fire

Just weeks after Ralph Lauren had its models flaunting Indian jhumkas at Paris Fashion Week, the brand has done it again. Its Summer 2026 collection features a printed wraparound tie-dye skirt—a blue, yellow, and red ankle-length piece reminiscent of bandhani skirts long worn by women across India.

Priced at a whopping $375 (nearly Rs 31,000), the garment offers only a cursory, imprecise nod to the craft. The brand describes it as “a beautifully draped cotton skirt… inspired by traditional bandhani tie-dye techniques and motifs.”

Social media reactions have been swift. One X user, expressing outrage, posted a video arguing that the skirt isn’t even authentic bandhani but a machine-printed imitation. She contrasted the price with Indian market realities, noting that a metre of genuine bandhani fabric typically ranges between Rs 200 and Rs 500. Showcasing her own outfit in traditional bandhani, she added that while the brand credited the technique, it stopped short of naming its Indian origins, “It would have been nice to say India’s traditional bandhani… to put India in there.”

Her reaction echoes a wider sentiment among Indian designers and consumers. Calling out both uncredited borrowing and surface-level acknowledgements, designer Joy Mitra says, “As an Indian designer, I believe it’s natural—and perfectly fine—to draw inspiration from our rich crafts and textiles. After all, a country like ours has so much incredible art and fashion to offer the world. But the real issue is whether they’re giving due respect to our heritage and acknowledging its origins. That, to me, is non-negotiable.”