24 January 2022, Mumbai:
Raw Mango’s new collection has been criticized by Eelam Tamils for resembling the uniform worn by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). As per The News Minute, Eelam Tamils have criticized Raw Mango’s new Winter/Fall 2021 collection for featuring tiger-striped, militaristic outfits.
Called ‘Sher Bagh’, the collection includes outfits resembling LTTE uniforms. LTTE is the armed guerrilla organisation that fought against the Sinhala-led government’s defence forces during the Sri Lankan Civil War.
Researcher Sinthujan Varatharajan, known popularly by their Instagram handle @varathas, called the collection a commodifying of the resistance aesthetics of living people Others accused the collection of being a rip off of Eala Thamizh women’s guerrilla uniforms.
Raw Mango described the collection as collaboration between Raw Mango and Anjali Singh of Sujan.
However, critics believe, the resemblance to LTTE uniforms is no coincidence. The headgear is similar to the cap worn by Sinthujan notes. Additionally, the uniforms are oversized hinting at the original’s mass-produced quality.
The brand has been criticized for deleting critical comments on its Instagram posts. The collection’s appropriation with military uniforms rankles, says Sithujan.
It banalizes their sufferings and makes it routine, he adds.
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