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Lost World

The appointment of Leena Nair to head Chanel has warmed many a desi heart no doubt. Hopefully her influence at the top of the fashion food chain will have trickle down effects that impact lesser mortals with modest budgets favorably. Every time, I see a desi sister in America dressed to fit in and blend, I feel and share her pain. The same woman in a desi setting would look beautifully alive in colors and textures from India - whether or not she is actually wearing a sari. It would bring out the real person hidden in clothing that was not designed with her in mind. 

In America, it takes a very bold woman to wear a sari or other recognizably ethnic clothes to work. It is a statement, it grabs attention in ways that may not serve the woman well. In all my years, I have not met one so brave. Sometimes, a girl will add a small detail to an otherwise conformist attire, might come to work with remnants of henna from a wedding celebration she attended over the weekend and so on, but that is about as far as it gets. Here is hoping Nair can help add to the concept of western attire, what it would take the rest of the world to feel like it allows them the power of self-expression and creativity through the clothes they wear. 

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