Designer faces flak for campaign

The depiction of contrasting difference that exists in the society of people belonging to two

different classes has become the topic of controversy. This, after designer Deepika Govind unveiled the photo shoot of her latest spring resort collection. It showcases a rural backdrop of the Karnataka state, with a model wearing a sharp-shouldered blue outfit, with a weaver and his wife sitting next to her.

Earlier an Indian fashion magazine had to bear the brunt when it did a photo shoot of poor people flaunting high end fashion accessories. Recently, another international designer too faced the criticism, where the campaign had models posed with flashy luggage alongside coolies.

The picture shot for Govind’s collection is being criticised for using poor people as props and for picturing the unbridgeable gap between the two worlds. While refuting the allegations, Govind has made it clear that she used fashion as a medium to voice her concerns on the dying Indian traditions and crafts and on the environment. And the shoot is not about poverty-stricken India but the motive was to try and connect with India’s young to show them the journey from the loom to the garment.

The designer has in fact been working towards generating livelihood for the weavers of Karnataka by promoting the traditional crafts through her designs. Going ahead, she plans to do a photo-shoot inside a weaver’s house to highlight the journey of a garment from the loom to the catwalk.