Missing the Gucci for the kaftan

Gucci is selling a ‘floral embroidery organic kaftan’ for $3,500 – ₹2.5 lakh – and, right on cue, the Indian Twitter janta has reacted. Like mothers shrieking on finding daal, chawal and papad on restaurant menus for ‘more than ₹50!’ many Indians are appalled at the price tag on the rather fetching Italian-made item made of ‘ivory eco solarised organic linen’ and ‘enriched with a floral embroidery and self-tile tassels’. Perhaps also bothering the desi lot is the model shown wearing the kaftan – not their usual leggie Melania Trump blonde, but someone who appears to be a college kid wearing glasses, green basketball trackpants and sneakers.

Comments have ranged from ‘I can buy the same thing for ₹500 from my local mall’ to ‘Gucci culturally appropriates again!’ (as if Indians wearing trousers or skirts culturally appropriate far more appropriately). But, once again, Indian critics are missing the wood for the ‘Jeez!’ – in other words, the value of a brand. It’s the notional price that comes with Gucci that makes the kaftan kaafi special to whoever buys it. Which is why people go for a genuine fake Rolex. In fact, once Indians realise the unchainable power of a brand, the sky is your price tag. And, that would actually mean being able to sell that ₹500 kurta from your local mini-mart at – well, for starters – ₹50,000.