Fendi’s “Navratri Baguette” has a backstory that predates the internet outrage

People on Instagram have developed a remarkably efficient way of turning fashion controversies into content: spot a familiar cultural reference, add the words “cultural appropriation,” let the algorithm do the rest. The latest candidate is Fendi’s colourful, mirrorwork Baguette, which has prompted comparisons with Gujarati embroidery and the visual language of Indian festive dressing. The resemblance is easy to spot. What is less easy—and considerably less likely to go viral—is researching what actually happened behind the scenes. In this case, that missing context changes the conversation considerably.

The Controversy Is About More Than a Bag

Fendi’s Fall/Winter 2026–27 Baguette features 39,500 beads and 475 mirrors, hand-embroidered over more than 138 hours. And it comes with a price tag of $10,000. Its current product description calls it a re-edition of the house’s 1997 Baguette, but makes no mention of India, Gujarat, Navratri or Chanakya. That silence is worth questioning, particularly at a moment when Indian audiences are increasingly asking luxury houses to identify the cultural sources behind designs that clearly echo local traditions.

It is a legitimate conversation. Prada faced similar criticism in 2025 after presenting Kolhapuri-inspired sandals without initially acknowledging their Indian origins; the house subsequently acknowledged the connection and later developed a Made in India collaboration with Indian artisan organisations. More recently, Ralph Lauren has faced online criticism over embroidery that commenters compared with Indian zardozi.

But Fendi Has a Very Different Backstory

Recently Maria Grazia Chiuri and Karishma Swali unveiled three immersive fibre-based exhibitions in Mumbai to celebrate 40 years of Chanakya and 10 years of the Chanakya Foundation and School of Craft.

Maria Grazia Chiuri, the Italian fashion designer who is now Fendi’s creative director, first met Karishma Swali, the managing and creative director of Mumbai-based embroidery and textile house Chanakya International, in the early 1990s, when Chiuri was heading the accessories department at Fendi. Their creative relationship has continued for more than three decades.

There is an almost perfect irony to this particular controversy. When asked about the object from their long-standing collaboration that holds special significance to her, Swali once pointed to a Fendi Baguette embroidered with mirrorwork—one made around 30 years ago. In other words, mirrorwork bags were part of this creative relationship long before the latest Baguette became shorthand for Indian festive dressing. Fendi didn’t suddenly discover or borrow this visual language; the brand has a documented history of working with Indian embroidery practitioners that predates the current conversation by decades.

Founded in Mumbai in 1986, Chanakya International has grown into a major embroidery and textile house working with international luxury brands, while the Chanakya School of Craft, founded in 2016, has trained more than 1,400 women through craft-based education and creative practice. The relationship between Chiuri and Swali has also produced major cultural projects, including installations at Chanakya’s recent 40th anniversary celebration in Mumbai, where Chiuri was also present.