[Lifestyle] Clothing brand renames modest kurta-pyjama ‘jersey shirt dress’; netizens are perplexed

[#Hassan.]

Prices for the garment start around Rs 1,500 and go up to Rs 2,000 and more

In yet another bizarre placement of a garment from the subcontinent in the fast-fashion world, clothing company H&M has been accused of hijacking the modest kurta-pyjama, giving it a fancy name — which seems almost alien and made-up — and selling it online for a couple of thousand bucks. Netizens are not impressed. If you look up “jersey shirt dress” on the brand’s website, you will be taken to this section wherein you will find the said garment, prices for which start around INR 1,500 and go up to INR 2,000 and more. It was brought to our attention when Twitter users from around the world started calling out the brand for culturally hijacking the attire that is traditionally worn in countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

On the site, the description for the product reads, “Calf-length dress in soft jersey with a collar, buttons down the front and a yoke with pleats at the back. Long sleeves with buttoned cuffs, and slits in the sides of the hem. Unlined.” If this makes you scratch your head and wonder what they are trying to say, you are not alone. If you have grown up in the subcontinent, you are sure to have seen elders in the family dress up in this attire during celebratory occasions — festivals like Diwali and Eid, during weddings, or simply at home, because it is comfortable clothing. So, it would not be wrong to call it a sartorial-abomination, having to watch a fast-fashion brand sell it, and also charge a bomb for it.

Link : https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/fashion/netizens-clothing-brand-renames-kurta-pyjama-jersey-shirt-dress-hm-7625806/