Sonam Kapoor’s dress at Prince Charles’ coronation compared to a bedsheet, actor thanks blogger who comes to her defence
Actor Sonam Kapoor was a part of King Charles III’s coronation concert that took place on May 7. After the photos and videos of Sonam’s appearance were shared online, many questioned her dress selection. An Instagram user wrote, “This print will make a wonderful wallpaper or a couch fabric, it is quite hideous for a dress😂,” while another wrote, “Her outfit is giving me the bedsheet vibes.” But a fashion blogger named Aamir Ali Shah explained in detail the ‘unique history’ of this chintz print fabric that Sonam The actor thanked him for the clothes he wore.
Sonam Kapoor The dress was designed in collaboration by Emilia Wickstead and Anamika Kanna. Aamir, a fashion blogger, shared details about the print via Instagram on Tuesday. He, in a long post, shared how lots of Indian and Pakistani brands use the chintz print today ‘without having an iota of knowledge’ about this fabric’s ‘unique history’. He shared details about the print which is ‘now commonly used for bed sheets, curtains and upholstery’.
Aamir shared a collage of Sonam’s look along with a vintage garment with chintz print and wrote, “Read a comment below this photo of Sonam Kapoor saying what’s extraordinary in this. It looks like bedsheet. Well the thing is these “Chintz” prints now commonly used for bed sheets, curtains and upholstery originated as cheent along the Coromandel coast of India. (Cheent in hindi meaning spotted). Once highly prized the world over, Chintz helped revolutionise fashion and design globally.”
He added, “Before Europe came to “claim” these prints, cheent a plain weave glazed cotton fabric was printed, or painted in vivid colors and was traded across seas for decades. Europeans lapped up ‘indiene’ design to make their homes lush with vibrant madder and indigo colors depicting exotic flora and fauna, which was a necessity given the weather outside was often grey and cloudy.”
Aamir went on to share, “Until 17th century trade in these Indian printed cottons flourished then European fabric manufacturers protested and even rioted against ‘the tawdry, bespotted’ cottons made by ‘Heathens and Pagans’. Colonial enterprises prohibited cotton from India. This led to the production of imitation chtinz in Netherlands, Britain, and France. It was only then that the motifs and designs were slowly made to depict European birds and plants.”
“Some scholars believe that chintz began to be used for garments when maids were given old or damaged household textiles, which they would fashion into dresses. Lots of lawn brands use these prints today in Pakistan, many not having an iota of knowledge about this fabric’s unique history. Now with Sonam Kapoor wearing it, ”it is indeed a full circle moment” quoting Deepthi Sasidharan (@lampglow) and Susan Thomas (@afsarnama) here from across the border. A fabric which became dispossessed from the natives, is here being reclaimed and recontextualized,” he shared.
Reacting to this long post, Sonam not only reposted the post on her Instagram story but also wrote his post’s comments section, “Thank you for getting the whole point of this. Anamika designed the print.”
Sonam Kapoor’s reaction on the fashion blogger’s post.
On the work front, Sonam Kapoor will next be seen in Shome Makhija’s Blind, also starring Purab Kohli, Vinay Pathak, and Lillete Dubey.