Zara is under fire for appropriating the traditional Asian lungi
Images via Zara/Roy Garner/Shutterstock
Controversial.
We’ve all heard the familiar story of Zara ripping off independent designers, but this time it’s been accused of appropriating culture.
The retailer recently launched a checked-coloured skirt that bears resemblance to the traditional Asian lungi, a sarong worn by men and women across Asia. The garment is popular for its affordability and gender-neutrality, usually retailing for around $3.
Zara’s ‘Check Mini Skirt’ arrives at a slightly more expensive price, coming in at just under $100.
Customers have called out the brand for failing to reference the style’s origins, with no mention of ‘lungi’ in the item’s description. Instead, Zara describes the skirt as a ‘flowing skirt with draped detail in the front’.
Check out some of the outrage/amusement via tweets below.
If you need an argument as to why it’s important to have BAME people at every level in business and marketing, I give you the lungi-dads-skirt disaster by @ZARA where literally ANY Indian person could’ve pointed out in two minutes what the problem is with this ???
— Poorna Bell (@poornabell) 30 January 2018
Lol @ZARA check yourself before you appropriate clothing from another culture. This brings grandpa-chic to a whole new level ? #zaralungi https://t.co/rE7aFTehmN
— ? Sally Lin • 林樾 ? (@sallyyuelin) 30 January 2018
Zara is trying to sell uncle’s £3 lungi (Asian male skirt) for £70 #shabash ? #LungiDance ???? pic.twitter.com/yEsdXcLeyI
— Qursheed (@strawbaby_whirl) 30 January 2018
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