Sonam Kapoor reacts after blogger defends her coronation dress and schools those who said it ‘looks like bedsheet’

Actor Sonam Kapoor wore a floor-length gown co-designed by Anamika Khanna and Emilia Wickstead for King Charles III’s coronation concert on May 7. Photos and videos of the actor from the concert were all over social media, with a section saying her dress ‘looks like a bedsheet’. Now, a fashion blogger has explained in detail the ‘unique history’ of the chintz print fabric on Sonam’s coronation gown, and the actor thanked him for ‘getting the whole point’ of her look. Also read: Sonam Kapoor dons white, greets audience with ‘namaste’ at King Charles III’s coronation concert

On Tuesday, a fashion blogger named Aamir Ali Shah took to Instagram to talk about 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 also had a message for those, who questioned ‘what’s extraordinary’ about Sonam’s coronation outfit as he schooled them about the print that he said was widely ‘used for bed sheets, curtains and upholstery’ in the Indian subcontinent.

Sharing a picture of Sonam’s outfit with a vintage garment with chintz print, Aamir wrote on Instagram, “Read a comment below this photo of Sonam Kapoor saying what’s extraordinary in this. It looks like a 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 went on to write about the fabric’s history, “Before Europe came to claim these prints, cheent a plain weave glazed cotton fabric was printed, or painted in vivid colours 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. 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 banned cotton from India, leading to imitation chintz being produced in Netherlands, Britain and France. It was only then that the motifs and designs were slowly made to depict European birds and plants.”

Further speaking about the significance of Sonam’s designer gown and how her wearing it for the coronation was ‘a full circle moment’, Aamir wrote, “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.”

Reacting to his long post, Sonam wrote in the comments section, “Thank you for getting the whole point of this. Anamika designed the print.” As per a recent Vogue India report, while Sonam’s gown was designed by Emilia Wickstead, Anamika Khanna contributed the calico-inspired print to finish the whole picture. The report added that the Indian designer took inspiration from the 17th and 18th-century calico prints, which were a commodity commonly traded between India and the UK in the yesteryears.

After her long break from acting, Sonam Kapoor is all ready to make a comeback with Shome Makhija’s Blind. This will be her first film since she gave birth to her son Vayu Kapoor Ahuja in August last year.