When Did Dupatta Become European?

Blink and you might miss the centuries of South Asian textile artistry and symbolism, with a flick of an Instagram trend. Our everyday accessory is now rebranded as “Scandinavian scarf.” It’s as if someone took the Taj Mahal, slapped on a fresh coat of paint and called it a palace. The viral scarf trend sweeping western social feeds isn’t just a case of fashion déjà vu but a masterclass in cultural amnesia where the only thing more seamless than the drape is the erasure of its origin story. 

Illustration by The Geostrata

Welcome to the world where a dupatta by any other name is apparently more marketable, provided you forget who stitched it in the first place. A global discussion regarding cultural appropriation and historical erasure has been sparked by the recent explosion of the "Scandinavian scarf" trend on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

Traditional South Asian head coverings like the dupatta, odhni, or chunariya are strikingly similar to this viral style, which is defined by flowing scarves that are minimalistic and fashioned like stylish Nordic accessories.

In spite of the dupatta's centuries old history in the Indian subcontinent, the trend is largely hailed as innovative and chic in the West, with little to no recognition of its historical roots.

The viral trend has swept across digital fashion spaces and is being lauded for its understated elegance and supposed nordic roots. Influencers predominantly from the Western backgrounds have styled long, draped scarves with minimalist outfits to celebrate the look as the epitome of modern chic.

Yet for many South Asian viewers, this trend is instantly recognizable as a rebranding of the dupatta, a garment intimate to the Indian and South Asian cultures for centuries.This phenomenon presents a serious issue because despite being praised as European chic and new in fashion circles, the scarf's long history is being ignored, if not completely eradicated. 

The main question that arises is whether we are seeing an instance of ignorance causing the origins to be forgotten or if this is a purposeful act of appropriation where the roots are hidden for aesthetic and commercial benefit.

The Scandinavian scarf trend unearths a recurring pattern in global fashion. The erasure of stories and the disregard for the socio-political meanings embedded in traditional foreign garments.

This trend only tries to aestheticise a culturally rich item and perpetuates double standards in how fashion is valued and who receives credit for it.

CULTURAL SEMANTICS OF THE SCARF IN SOUTH ASIA

Ancient texts, historical Mughal paintings and colonial ethnographies all make reference to the head coverings as the dupatta, chunni, odhni and others that have deep roots in the Indian subcontinent. The dupatta is thought to have originated from the many types of veils and scarves mentioned in early Sanskrit literature, including avagunthana (cloak veil) and uttariya (shoulder veil).

Women wearing elaborately embroidered silk dupattas, which symbolise both status and modesty, are commonly portrayed in Mughal era artwork.

The dupatta is more than just a fashion accessory in Indian culture. It represents identity, tradition, and dignity. Its style can indicate social class, regional origin, or even religious affiliation. For example, in many Muslim, Sikh, and Hindu communities, wearing a dupatta over one's head is a sign of respect, while the fabric, embroidery, and draping style all reflect the richness of the local culture.

The current trend frames the scarf within the language of alleged Scandinavian minimalism, emphasising elegance and a sense of newness. Key influencer case studies reveal a trend in which South Asian content creators draw attention to the scarf's striking similarity to their own traditional clothing while European and American content creators present it as a cutting-edge accessory. 

Similar cycles have happened with pashmina shawls and bandhani prints that were repackaged for western markets with little consideration for their Indian origins, making the Scandinavian scarf trend far from an isolated incident.

This phenomenon is part of a broader cycle of cultural sanitisation that is Eurocentric and involves rebranding non-Western artefacts to suit tastes and ignore their context. Social media's algorithmic logic magnifies these trends at the expense of historical nuance and authenticity.

FASHION, FEMINISM, AND THE POLITICS OF VISIBILITY

In South Asian feminist discourse, the dupatta has long been a site of disputed meanings. For some, it represents patriarchal control and the policing of female bodies, while for others, it represents modesty and respectability. For many South Asian women, the headscarf is a symbol of identity, resistance, and agency.

However, Western feminist narratives have interpreted it as an indication of oppression. In stark contrast, the Western reinterpretation of the scarf as a symbol of empowerment and fashion liberation reveals a double standard. 

Image Credits: Rightful Owner

These postcolonial dynamics have been criticised by feminist theorists like Bell Hooks and Chandra Mohanty, who highlight the importance of appreciating the nuanced nature of cultural symbols. The story is further complicated by the viewpoints of Muslim, Sikh, and Hindu women.

The scarf serves as a form of resistance against the homogenisation of Western beauty standards and xenophobic or Islamophobic sentiments, in addition to being a religious or cultural symbol for many. The significance and meaning of the scarf are called into question when the politics of visibility collide with issues of race, gender, and power. The viral scarf trend highlights the workings of soft power in the global fashion economy but the benefits are unevenly distributed.

While India is celebrated as a soft power hub in areas like Bollywood, Ayurveda and yoga, its fashion contributions are often commodified in Western markets. Indian exports like the bandhani prints and pashminas frequently lose their cultural specificity when repackaged for western consumers.

The blurred lines between cultural diffusion and appropriation raise critical questions of who gets credit and for what. The concept of ‘fashion neocolonialism’ captures this dynamic, highlighting systemic extraction of value from other cultures, ensuring nothing but self-gain. To address these imbalances, there is a need to reclaim and credit cultural origins in global circuits. Social media and digital storytelling are powerful tools for challenging such dominant narratives, like this viral trend, and celebrating the greater South Asian heritage.

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BY ARYAVEER SHARMA

TEAM GEOSTRATA

info@thegeostrata.com