Dior’s $200K Coat Ignites Debate Over Uncredited Indian Mukaish Craftsmanship | Lifestyle News

Last Updated:July 04, 2025, 10:45 IST

At the Dior show at Paris Fashion Week, fashion enthusiasts spotted a gold and ivory mukaish coat that came with a houndstooth design.

At the Paris Fashion Week, Dior unveiled its highly anticipated collection under newly appointed creative director Jonathan Anderson on June 27. With A-listers like Rihanna, Robert Pattinson, and Daniel Craig in attendance, the debut generated global buzz. Among the standout pieces was a gold and ivory coat featuring a striking houndstooth pattern, priced at $200,000 (approximately Rs 1.67 crore). The garment quickly gained attention not just for its craftsmanship, but for what it represented.

Fashion commentator Hanan Besnovic, known for his detailed critiques on social media, noted that the embroidery technique used on the coat closely resembles mukaish work – a centuries-old art form from Lucknow, India. Mukaish involves the intricate embedding of fine metal wires, traditionally silver or gold, into fabric to create delicate, shimmering motifs. Historically paired with chikankari, it is an embellishment once reserved for royalty and is now sustained by a small, skilled community of artisans. Hanan shared the video on his Instagram, and it has gone viral.

Take a look at the video here.

According to reports, 12 artisans worked for 34 days to produce this single piece. Yet, despite the intensive craftsmanship and cultural specificity of the technique, no mention of mukaish, Lucknow, or Indian artisans was made in Dior’s official communication surrounding the collection. This absence has reignited a broader conversation around attribution and recognition in global fashion, particularly when heritage craft techniques are repurposed for luxury markets.

This follows closely on the heels of another fashion controversy involving Prada, which drew criticism earlier this month for showcasing sandals bearing a striking resemblance to Kolhapuris without initially acknowledging their Indian origins. A clarification was issued only after significant social media backlash.

The discussion here is less about the use of global craft techniques, which are often admired and reinterpreted in design, and more about the transparency around their origins. As fashion continues to engage with traditional art forms from around the world, questions around cultural credit, ethical collaboration, and visibility for artisans are becoming increasingly central.

Mukaish, though lesser-known on the global stage, remains a significant part of India’s textile heritage. Its appearance on an international runway presents an opportunity – not only to spotlight traditional craftsmanship but also to create more equitable and informed creative exchanges between global fashion houses and artisan communities.

Location :

Delhi, India, India

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