Sonam Kapoor reacts to fashion blogger teaching the netizens the meaning of her dress for Coronation Concert
On May 7, 2023, at Windsor Castle, Sonam Kapoor just gave a spoken word performance at King Charles III's Coronation Concert. Sonam Kapoor dressed elegantly for the event in a gown by Anamika Khanna and Emilia Wickstead. While her admirers gushed over her lovely appearance, other online trolls mocked it, stating that the patterned dress ‘looks like a bedsheet.’ A fashion blogger then defended Sonam by outlining the background of the chintz print. Sonam Kapoor complimented him for his comprehension and explanation of the print's overall concept.
Aamir Ali Shah, a fashion blogger, posted an explanation of the design of Sonam's dress detail on Instagram on Tuesday. He said that the chintz pattern fabric has a fascinating history and that many people use it without being aware of the fabric's background. According to Aamir Ali, he recently received a comment on a photo of Sonam Kapoor wearing the garment in which the netizen said that the clothing "looks like a bed sheet" and questioned what was so amazing about it. He said that although bedsheets, curtains, and furniture today frequently feature similar "Chintz" motifs, they were originally known as ‘cheent’ near India's Coromandel Coast. The Chintz was once highly prized all over the world and contributed to a global revolution in fashion.
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. Until 17th century trade in these Indian printed cotton flourished then European fabric manufacturers protested and even rioted against ‘the tawdry, bespotted’ cotton made by ‘Heathens and Pagans’.” He continued by saying that because colonial businesses forbade the import of cotton from India, imitation chintz was created in the Netherlands, Britain, and France.
Concluding the note, he wrote, “Now with Sonam Kapoor wearing it, “it is indeed a full circle moment” quoting Deepthi Sasidharan (@Iampglow) and Susan Thomas (@afsarnama) here from across the border. A fabric which became dispossessed from the native is here being reclaimed and recontextualized.”
This post also garnered Sonam Kapoor’s attention, and she dropped a comment thanking Aamir. “thank you for getting the whole point of this Anamika designed the print,” wrote Sonam.
At the Coronation Concert, Sonam Kapoor delivered a spoken work performance to introduce the Commonwealth vitual choir. She began her speech with ‘Namaste’. Sonam’s mother Sunita Kapoor shared a video of the speech on Instagram, and wrote, “So proud! Such an Honour!”
