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Indian woman says she prefers Zara over homegrown brands that make her look ‘weirdly stunted’
Nishtha G Malik argued that Indian homegrown clothing brands fail to cater to petite women, which is why she prefers Zara and H&M.
Prefer HTon Google
An Indian content creator has shared what she calls an “unpopular opinion” by saying that she prefers foreign brands like Zara and H&M over Indian homegrown labels. Nishtha G Malik argued that Indian homegrown clothing brands fail to cater to petite women because their designs primarily target body types suited for modest, full-coverage clothing.
In an Instagram video shared a few days ago, the content creator railed against Indian clothing brands whose designs do not cater to petite women — especially those below 5'3" in height.
Malik had earlier complained about Indian brands charging exorbitant prices for their clothing. This time, she had a different bone to pick.
Not suitable for petite women
Addressing homegrown brands in her video, Nishtha Malik said: “Why do you not make clothes for people who want their skirts and dresses to be shorter and at the perfect length, and their tops to be anything but fully covered?”
She claimed that modest clothing and full coverage make petite women look "weirdly stunted" or cause them to "disappear" visually.
“In short, why do petite Indian women, 5'3" and below, look weirdly stunted in most of your clothes?” she questioned.
Modest designs
Malik further opined that Indian brands don't provide enough options with shorter lengths or open necklines/waists that highlight features like the neck and waist.
“I think there's a section of us Indian women that are slightly shorter, slightly broader, and have a body type that does not look good in modest clothing, no matter what we do,” she claimed.
“We disappear, and how! Just like this. And we'd definitely love to see options that accentuate our best features, like our necks, our waist, and not hide everything until we choke.”
The stylist and content creator said that because local brands lack suitable cuts for smaller or broader frame proportions, she prefers international brands like Zara, H&M, and Bershka, despite wanting to support ‘Make in India’.
Video sparks debate
The video sparked a heated debate on Indian homegrown clothing brands and their many issues.
(Also read: He quit Bengaluru tech job for ‘peace of mind’; now his clothing brand earns ₹1 crore/month)
“Some of them have terrible logistics! The process is a nightmare! No one wants to be following up for months,” wrote one person in the comments section.
“And then wait for their return n refund policy, following up endlessly to refund money and sometimes just receive store credit,” another agreed.
“They aren’t performing well in modest clothing too and in sizes too,” a commenter added.
Many also highlighted that besides modest designs, many Indian brands have prices that feel out of range for most people. “Also, over priced. Sure I want to support small Indian businesses and I know they do it ethically but BRO I CANNOT AFFORD IT,” a viewer noted.
