Fendi handbag sparks debate over Indian craft appropriation

Fendi’s Fall/Winter 2026–27 Baguette 26424 Multicolour Re-Edition has sparked a debate regarding cultural appropriation and the representation of Indian craftsmanship in global luxury fashion.

The handbag, priced at approximately $10,000 (₹8.3 lakh), features 39,500 beads and 475 mirrors hand-stitched over 138 hours. While social media users have dubbed it the “Navratri bag” due to its visual similarities to the decorative traditions of Gujarat and Rajasthan, Fendi does not explicitly mention India or the specific “abhla” or “shisha” mirror-work techniques in its product descriptions.

Despite the controversy, the bag is the result of a long-standing professional relationship. The embroidery was produced by Chanakya International, a Mumbai-based textile house founded in 1986 and led by Karishma Swali, which has collaborated with Fendi for approximately 30 years. The debate centers on whether the lack of explicit credit to the Indian origins of the craft constitutes a form of cultural colonization or if the documented collaboration with local artisans validates the design.