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Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw calls out Fendi’s ₹8.3 lakh colourful Navratri-style bag: ‘Undermines our authentic talent’
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw reacted to Fendi’s colourful bag, which required 138 hours of craftsmanship and carries a staggering price tag.
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Fendi’s new bag with 39,500 beads and 475 mirrors has sparked a storm of backlash, with many claiming it looks extremely similar to the multicolour bags which are often found in Indian markets, especially during Navratri. Among those who have questioned Fendi, accusing the luxury brand of “colonising” Indian crafts are Harsh Goenka and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw.
How did Harsh Goenka react?
Harsh Goenka tweeted, “After the Prada Kolhapuri chappal scandal, here comes the Fendi "Navratri" bag. Charging ₹8.3 Lakhs for a design that looks exactly like a ₹500 bag available in the streets of Gujarat. And zero credit to Indian artisans. When will luxury brands stop colonising our crafts?” He concluded his post with a picture of the product.
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Last year, Prada faced intense backlash over selling footwear that closely resembled Kolhapuri chappals, a traditional Maharashtrian slipper, without mentioning India or local artisans. Later, the brand added the cultural and historical context on its official site.
What did Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw say?
Reacting to the post by the RPG Group chairman, the Biocon founder accused the Italian brand of cultural appropriation.
“This is a case of cultural appropriation & not in good taste. Repackaging India’s traditional craft as luxury, without credit to the artisans who created and preserved it, undermines our authentic talent and heritage.” she tweeted.
She added, “Indian craftsmanship deserves recognition, not imitation.”
What caused the controversy?
On Fendi’s website, the bag is listed as “Baguette 26424: Multicolour Re Edition bag with embroidery and mirrors”. The description states that it is entirely embroidered by hand. It has a “combination of textures and shades with 39,500 beads and 475 mirrors, requiring over 138 hours of craftsmanship.”
The description notes that the product was made in Italy, sparking backlash from online users who argued the design was inspired by traditional Indian craftsmanship without giving due credit.
What did social media say?
An individual wrote, “Nobody will give more than 500 rupees to this bag, if the Fendi logo is not there.” Another posted, “They are showing us the upside. We need to grab this opportunity and start selling similar products next to them.”
A third expressed, “Correct but pricing is way beyond average Indian bag of the same design.” A fourth commented, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; however I fully support the fact that credit must be given where it’s due. And in this case the financial credit is due.”
The Indian connection:
Though there is controversy regarding the bag, the product does have an Indian connection. No it’s not the “Navratri” bag name, which is a moniker given by social media users, but the place where the item was made.
A part of Fendi’s Fall/Winter 2026-27 collection, the bag was handmade in Mumbai at a workshop called Chanakya, reported the Statesman. Though the craftsman is not copied, there is a lack of cultural context on Fendi’s official website.
