Women's magazines

While going through women's magazines (the English publications ) in India recently I noticed that the women featured in the articles are mostly dressed in western attire # . Very few articles or even photographs of celebrities show Indian attire * . Most of the dressing tips too tend to almost exclusively focus on western wear ( this sometimes doubles as humor e.g every city girl needs a Birkin bag . Really ? most city girls in India would draw a blank at the phrase 'Birkin Bag') . 

* exceptions being coverage of the Lakme Fashion week :)

# while writing this post I reviewed a recent issue of Femina . The 190 page issue had totally 6-7 photographs of women in kurtas / sarees. This included some PR type photos of some events ( excluding ads in which there was hardly any Indian wear anyway . Maybe brands are missing an opportunity here )

While I love my western attire I'm not certain that magazines turning geography and culture neutral is doing the readers any good . There's a treasure trove of elegant and exquisite Indian attire that deserves the spot light .A wide range of traditional , hand woven fabrics that are timeless and stunning . Silhouettes that are kind on the wearer .The sheer diversity and richness of India's textile heritage is breath taking . Many of the hand woven fabrics are visual poetry. This richness and diversity is not limited to clothing . Accessories like bags , jewelry inspired by India's textile heritage / which complement Indian attire can be showcased effectively in women's magazines . Showcased not as a flavor of the season or only around the festive season . Showcased in an ongoing way that acknowledges the cultural context and the textile heritage of the portion of the pale blue dot we are privileged to inhabit .