The Italian fashion house, Gucci, has been accused of being insensitive towards the Sikh religion after selling a headpiece resembling a turban. The ‘Indy Full Turban’ item came to the attention of critics when it appeared on the American retailer Nordstrom's e-commerce site retailing at £790, prompting the Sikh Coalition to tweet that the turban is not just a fashion accessory, but also a sacred religious item.
Nordstrom was selling these Gucci turbans with the following product description, "A gorgeously crafted turban is ready to turn heads while keeping you in comfort as well as trademark style.” People in the Sikh community were offended by Gucci's blue turban, calling it cultural appropriation, insensitive, and expensive.
According to Women's Wear Daily, the retailer changed the product's name to Indy Full Head Wrap, although it now simply states Full Head Wrap and is marked as sold out. Following Nordstrom's Twitter apology, the Sikh Coalition urged Gucci to follow suit. Although contacted, Gucci is yet to respond.
Nordstrom eventually pulled the turban from its website and apologized. A response from Gucci is awaited.
Earlier in 2018, Gucci’s fall collection at Milan Fashion Week showcased a white model walking the runway wearing the Sikh turban during a fashion show. Gucci using white models to showcase turbans caused an outcry online.
Wearing a turban makes Sikhs vulnerable to attack
Sikhs are often targeted for hate-fuelled attacks, discrimination, and bullying because of their turbans. Some members of the Sikh community say that Gucci and Nordstrom's use of the same style of turban is blatant cultural appropriation.
A Facebook post by the Sikh Coalition said, "When companies like Gucci appropriate articles of faith, like the turban they are trying to capitalize on, they do not take into consideration the discrimination that Sikhs face while adhering to the tenets of their faith."
There is no fashion accessory like the turban
A further source of annoyance for Sikhs was the marketing of the Gucci turban as a fashion accessory—a hat that one could put on and take off at leisure and will. The turban is not merely something Sikhs slap on their heads before leaving for the day. It is a holy symbol that the Sikh faith holds in high regard. Tying a turban is a painstaking and meticulous procedure that involves taking a long piece of cloth and precisely wrapping it over one's uncut hair, fold by fold.
Twitter user, a Sikh restaurateur, and philanthropist, Harjinder Singh Kukreja wrote, "Dear Gucci, the Sikh Turban is not a hot new accessory for white models but an article of faith for practicing Sikhs. Your models have used Turbans as hats’ whereas practicing Sikhs tie them neatly fold-by-fold. Using fake Sikhs/Turbans is worse than selling fake Gucci products".The backlash grew on Twitter as people took to the micro-blogging website to show their anger.
The Gucci version has drawn particular criticism since it closely resembles the everyday turbans worn by practicing Sikhs. According to Sukhjeevan Singh, a representative for the Sikh Council UK, “What makes this case different is that this turban is like mimicry. This commercialization of the turban by Gucci is deeply offensive and feels degrading because the turban represents our honor.”
Sardar Ravi Singh Khalsa tweeted, "Dear NON-SIKHS .... don't waste $750 buying a fake n fancy @gucci turban from @Nordstrom !! You can inbox me your location and I can arrange FREE lessons in Turban tying in most places and provide cloth material.FREE Any color."
Sikhs wear turbans as symbols of equality
Some members of the Sikh community argue that selling a luxury version of the Sikh turban for nearly $800 contradicts everything the turban represents and ignores its history. India is the origin of the Sikh practice of wearing a turban, despite the turban dating back thousands of years and being worn by many cultures of different faiths.
There has been a turban around for 4,000 years, dating from Mesopotamia to West London .As a symbol of elite status, turbans were historically worn by royalty and high officials. In 1658, only the Islamic ruling class was permitted to wear turbans under the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
In response to social hierarchies, Sikh leaders, also known as Gurus, wore turbans. Sikhs began wearing turbans over their uncut hair at the command of Guru Gobind Singh as a sign of equality and freedom.
"For Sikhs, the turban is a crown. It is a sign of equality, that no person is greater than the other. That is why Sikhs have taken what was traditionally a sign of royalty and made it into everyday wear. It is meant to be cheap and accessible for all," Jasvir Singh wrote.
Turbans are very important to Sikhs. The turban symbolizes their faith since it is a gift from their Gurus. The Sikh turban symbolizes belief, spirituality, leadership, sovereignty, equality, Sewa, and sacrifice. This disrespect for the turban by Gucci has upset and hurt many Sikhs as they consider the insult of the turban as an insult to their existence and sacrifices.
*Based on a news article published in May 2019