Popular high-street brand accused of ‘cultural appropriation’ with new collection

A well-known brand has been met with huge backlash and hundreds of negative comments after releasing a new collection which some people are accusing of appropriating south Asian culture

A popular high-street brand have been accused of cultural appropriation(Image: WWD via Getty Images)

Clothing brand Reformation has been accused of “appropriating south Asian culture” with their latest clothing collection release. The brand, known for drawing influence from vintage women’s clothing, has been met with an influx of criticism after they shared pictures of a number of pieces from their newest line.

The capsule collection is in collaboration with Devon Lee Carlson, an American fashion influencer, model and business owner, famous for co-founding phone case company Wildflower Cases. Devon has in the past worked with huge brands such as Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton. Released at the end of March, the Reformation line consists of just twenty pieces. In an Instagram post by Reformation that calls it “a girl’s best friend”, one item in particular was met with fierce backlash from a number of users.

The floaty co-ord set consisting of a midi skirt, sheer spaghetti-strap top and a long scarf, has garnered criticism from members of the South Asian community who have pointed out the outfit’s similarities to a lehenga choli. The lehenga is a traditional Indian garment originating dating back to as early as 2800BC and is commonly worn for special occasions such as weddings and festivals across South Asian cultures. Like the Reformation piece, it typically consists of three elements: a skirt, blouse and scarf.

Devon Lee Carlson at the Fashion Trust U.S Awards 2025
The clothing line is in collaboration with Devon Lee Carlson(Image: Variety via Getty Images)

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For the hefty price of nearly £366, the piece prompted users to comment their disappointment with the brand for releasing what some have described as a “white-washed” version of a traditional South Asian garment. One person branded the act as “absolutely shameful” while another said: “Taking from south Asian culture without even acknowledging it is representative of the lack of respect you have for your south Asian customers. “

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Lehengas are often crafted from high quality silk due to its ability to hold shape well, while the garment is often worn as formal wear. Sometimes georgette, chiffon or cotton is used depending on the purpose and the occasion. According to the website, the Reformation piece is made with 100% polyester deadstock fabric.

One user commented on this, saying: “A dupatta and lehenga for $400 is crazy… if you’re gonna culturally appropriate at least don’t make it out of 100% polyester. Leave it to the west to not only butcher and whitewash centuries of culture into a cheap costume, but also shamelessly profit off the diluted version. “

Many called out the brand for creating the piece with a Caucasian creator and then neglecting to pay homage to the apparent South Asian cultural roots that it appears to have. On this, they wrote: “Not you appropriating South Asian culture without even collaborating with a South Asian creator? ? ? Crazy work,” while another said: “Where is your accountability as a brand? Why are you silent on the cultural appropriation of South Asian designs and aesthetics? If you’re inspired by our culture, the least you can do is acknowledge it—respectfully and transparently. Do better. “

Picture from Reformation website of garment that looks like a lehenga
The baby blue ensemble has been likened to a lehenga – a traditional garment from the Indian culture(Image: Reformation)

The controversy prompted a number of social media creators to speak out about the situation. One creator @sigh.sai.sigh said in a TikTok video that the brand ought to “give credit where credit is due”. She continued: “I know someone out there is going to be like its just a top and a skirt with a scarf its not that deep…. but to do the whole three piece thing, I’m like come on… This is literally a lehenga with a dupatta (scarf).”

In the video, which has had over 180k views and gained hundreds of supportive comments, she makes comparisons between a scene from an early 2000s Bollywood movie where two dancers can be seen wearing outfits notably similar to the Reformation one. She emphasised that “there is obviously no hate to Devon Lee Carlson” but stressed however: “I just think that the pieces that are on the website now are drawing inspiration from South Asian fashion and therefore should credit South Asian fashion. “

Another creator @fashunwithviren on Instagram posted a video commenting on the situation. He said: “Its like take accountability, own up to where you got the inspiration, we’re not going to beat you up for it. But also its just like really ugly behaviour when thousands and thousands of South Asian folks are telling you that this is inspired by South Asian culture then maybe you should acknowledge it, right? It doesn’t hurt, you owe it to the audience. “

 Devon Lee Carlson in three piece outfit that is causing criticism for Reformation
This is not the first time a fashion brand has been called out for appropriating cultural clothing(Image: Reformation)

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that a brand has been called out for appropriating South Asian culture. Just last year, U. S. -based fashion rental company Bipty found themselves in hot water when a member of their staff posted a TikTok video showcasing a number of white women in floral dresses accessorised with sheer scarves draped over their shoulders.

Commenting on the look, the employee called it a “Scandinavian look”, saying it is “very European, very classy. ” However, viewers were quick to point out that the scarfs were similar to a South Asian dupatta – like the ones worn with a lehenga – and should not be labelled as a European fashion trend.

The brand faced immediate backlash, with thousands jumping onto the ‘Scandinavian style’ trend, which poked fun at the “ignorant” comments made by the Bipty employee and saw girls pairing traditional South Asian clothing with ridiculing captions like “Just a girl making sure her Scandinavian shawl is perfect for Euro summer. “

The founder of the company, Natalia Ohanesian, later issued a public statement apologising for any offence caused and that it was never their intention. She also admitted in her apology video on TikTok that the look was “clearly not European, and I understand the deeper conversations around cultural appropriation. “

Earlier this year, British clothing giant Oh Polly were accused of appropriating South Asian culture when they shared a video on their social media of a model wearing a dress bearing a striking resemblance to a traditional sharara. Many people pointed this out in the comments, again urging the brand to “call it what it is” and to issue a formal apology for their “appropriation” of the traditional Indian dress. The brand replied to many of the comments with a response outlining their intentions to be “more mindful” moving forward.

Reformation store front
The popular high-street brand have not taken down the original post or listings for the garment(Image: Google)

As for Reformation, they have so far failed to respond to any of the critical comments and have not removed the post from their Instagram, continuing to promote the collection – including this piece – front and centre on their social media and website. The Mirror have approached Reformation for a comment.

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Russia’s Putin hints at direct talks with Ukraine

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has indicated that he is open to the prospect of direct talks with Ukraine.

Putin told Russian state TV on Monday that he had a “positive attitude towards any peace initiatives” and that he hoped Kyiv would “feel the same way”.

Moscow and Kyiv have held no bilateral talks since the immediate aftermath of Russia’s February 2022 invasion. However, the United States has been raising the pressure on them to agree to a ceasefire.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin’s comments, following the expiry of a 30-hour Easter truce – which each side accused the other of violating – meant he was open to direct talks.

“When the president said that it was possible to discuss the issue of not striking civilian targets, including bilaterally, the president had in mind negotiations and discussions with the Ukrainian side,” said Peskov, quoted by Russia’s Interfax news agency.

While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not respond directly to Putin’s proposal, he signalled in his nightly video address that Ukraine was “ready for any conversation” about a ceasefire that would stop attacks on civilians.

On Sunday, Zelenskyy had proposed a follow-up to the truce that would “cease any strikes using long-range drones and missiles on civilian infrastructure for a period of at least 30 days”.

Putin said Russia would “analyse everything and take the corresponding decisions” but questioned how it would work, as he accused Ukraine of using civilian buildings such as restaurants and universities for military purposes.

Zelenskyy pressed Putin further on Monday, saying Ukraine stood by its offer – “at the very least, not to strike civilian infrastructure” – and that he expected a “clear answer” from Moscow.

The possibility of direct talks comes after US President Donald Trump threatened to walk away from efforts to broker a ceasefire unless progress is made. At the same time, he continued on Monday to express hope that a deal is close and could even be reached this week.

Negotiators from the US, Ukraine, United Kingdom and France are due to meet in London on Wednesday for another round of talks on ending the war, Zelenskyy said.

The discussions are a follow-up to a similar meeting in Paris last week.

Amid the push for an end to the fighting, in which Trump appears ready to accept many of Moscow’s demands and gains, Russia is eager to press home its military advantage on the battlefield.

Ukraine’s air force reported another overnight barrage on Tuesday, with Russia launching 54 drones.

Meanwhile, Russian media said the military had retaken the Gornal St Nicholas Belogorsky Monastery, one of the last positions held by Ukrainian troops in the Kursk region.

Liz Hurley’s ‘real reason’ for unexpected Billy Ray Cyrus romance and role she’ll play

Actress Liz Hurley shocked fans when she debuted he new romance with singer Billy Ray Cyrus over the weekend as the ‘real reason’ for their romance has been revealed

Liz Hurley and Billy Ray Cyrus have confirmed their unlikely romance(Image: @elizabethhurley1/instagram)

Elizabeth Hurley has sent fans into a spin as she teased an unexpected new romance with singer Billy Ray Cyrus, with the real reason now revealed. The actress, 59, will be hoping she doesn’t end up with an achy breaky heart after sharing a kiss with the country music star.

Making their romance Instagram official, Liz beamed in a snap while Billy, 63, kissed her on the cheek. They cosied up against a wooden fence as Liz rocked a chequered blue flannel shirt, faded blue jeans and a straw cowboy hat.

Billy carried a large stick and was also wearing a blue denim short and striped trousers. He got into the Easter spirit as he donned a pair of bunny ears.

Fans were baffled by the post as there had been no previous hints of the budding romance between the unlikely stars. Liz’s son has shared his seal of approval as Damian Hurley simply sent two emojis – one party face and one love heart.

 Damian Hurley and Elizabeth Hurley
Liz’s son Damien has showed his support(Image: Getty Images)
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However, things aren’t so smooth in the Cyrus household as they have remained silent on the shock post with Billy reportedly having a strained relationship with his kids.

Despite fans being so surprised by the post they thought it was AI generated, there may have been signs many missed. The Austin Powers star has a long history of dating troubled men including Shane Warne and Hugh Grant.

Liz reportedly thinks she can “save” Billy following his years of personal woes, as the ‘real reason’ for their romance has been teased. Billy’s world has been rocked over the past year.

He has been wrapped up in a family feud, faced allegations of domestic abuse by his third wife Firerose that he denies and was mocked for performing at Donald Trump’s second inauguration.

Liz and Billy met in 2022 as they played romantic leads in film Christmas in Paradise. According to reports, the pair reconnected last year as she provided support for Billy when his marriage crumbled.

The actress is said to have wanted to make sure there was “something special” before announcing her romance to the world. “There has always been a spark, but he reached out again last year when his short-lived third marriage ended,” a source told the Sun.

 Singer Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus
Billy has a fractious relationship with his children (Image: Getty Images for DCP)

“He has had a really hard time, but she has been there helping him turn things around. Liz has been really great for him, but her friends are cautious because of what’s been said in the past about him. “

Liz believes Billy “has turned a corner and is a changed man,” according to the source.

However, Billy’s ex wife Tish Cyrus has claimed she long suspected that he cheated on her with Liz years ago. He “flat out” denied anything had ever happened at the time of them filming the Christmas movie together.

“They got very close on the set and seeing that they are together now is a slap in the face for Tish, but it also confirms that she was likely right about her suspicions,” a source told Daily Mail. “They never stopped being in contact.”

Billy split from ex-wife Firerose, 25, – real name Joanna Rosie Hodges almost a year ago. They got engaged in August 2022, before tying the knot in October 2023.

However, there was quickly trouble in paradise and just months later, in May 2024, he filed for a divorce. The process was finalised in August last year.

In February, Billy was thought to have extended an olive branch to daughter Miley Cyrus amid the public drama between the family. It’s thought that Miley has been estranged from Billy Ray for some time, while his son Trace Cyrus recently said he “barely recognises” his father following his support of Donald Trump.

Trace wrote on social media: “Sadly the man that I wanted so desperately to be just like I barely recognize now. It seems this world has beaten you down and it’s become obvious to everyone but you. [… ] Me and the girls have been genuinely worried about you for years but you’ve pushed all of us away.

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“Noah desperately has wanted you to be a part of her life and you haven’t even been there for her. That’s your baby girl. She deserves better. Somehow just like me she still idolizes you though. “

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Leonard stars as Clippers level Nuggets series

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Kawhi Leonard hit 39 points as the Los Angeles Clippers levelled their first-round play-off series with a thrilling 105-102 win over the Denver Nuggets.

The 33-year-old converted 15 of his 19 shots, helping the Clippers bounce back after an overtime defeat in game one.

The Nuggets had the chance to send game two to overtime but Christian Braun missed with a three-pointer with six seconds left, while Nikola Jokic failed with the rebound.

“It felt like he didn’t miss a shot. His shot-making ability is elite,” said team-mate James Harden.

“That’s the aggressiveness we need from him. No matter who is guarding him. He just got to a spot and raised it up.

“He’s a big-time player and he played big time tonight. “

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said: “This is what Kawhi lives for. If we have a healthy Kawhi then we can win any series. “

Jokic hit 26 points for the Nuggets as well as 12 rebounds and 10 assists, while Jamal Murray added 23 points.

Pistons hit back against Knicks

The Detroit Pistons broke a 15-game play-off losing streak by beating the New York Knicks 100-94 to level their Eastern Conference first-round play-off.

Cade Cunningham hit 33 points for the Pistons while Dennis Schroder added 20 points from the bench.

The victory was the Pistons’ first in the play-offs since game four of the 2008 Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics.

“We did what we were supposed to do. And that was it,” said Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff.

“To win a game on the road to get home court was what we came here for. “

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Will Verstappen modify his driving after penalty?

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McLaren’s Oscar Piastri leads the 2025 drivers’ championship after victory in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

After the first triple header of the season, there is a week’s break before Formula 1 heads to Miami from 2-4 May.

Will Max Verstappen modify his driving as a result of the decision to give him a five-second penalty in Saudi Arabia? – Kate

Max Verstappen was given a five-second penalty in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix because the stewards adjudged him to have gained an advantage by leaving the track while contesting the lead with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri at the first corner.

The stewards pointed to the driving standards guidelines in making their decision, reporting that “Car 81 (Piastri) had its front axle at least alongside the mirror of Car One (Verstappen) prior to and at the apex of corner one when trying to overtake Car One on the inside.

“In fact, Car 81 was alongside Car One at the apex. Based on the drivers’ standards guidelines, it was therefore Car 81’s corner and he was entitled to be given room. “

Verstappen chose not to give his opinion of the incident or the decision after the race, pointing to the risk he would be censured by governing body the FIA.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said the penalty was “very harsh” because “Max can’t just disappear”.

The guidelines don’t dictate what a driver in his situation should do, but taking the lead back by going off track is not an option.

But Verstappen races hard, and pushes the limit of the rules. In critical situations such as this, he will do everything he can to keep position, and then force the stewards to make a decision.

This is understandable on two levels: first, the advantage of being in front and running in clean air is significant, as the race subsequently showed, and if he ends up being allowed to keep the position, it can win him the race; second, in the past, the stewards have often chosen not to punish him.

However, the guidelines have changed this year, after significant pressure from the other drivers, exactly because of the way Verstappen races.

This was the first time the new rules have been tested with Verstappen, and this time his approach did not work. But he has had a lifetime of racing this way, so it would be quite a switch for him to change his approach.

Having said that, he is smart as well as tough. It would be a surprise if he did not learn from this incident in some ways for next time.

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Does Lando Norris need to go sit down with Nico Rosberg to understand how he changed his mentality in his championship year? – Gary

In 2016, Nico Rosberg won the championship by pushing himself to the limit to be able to compete with an essentially faster team-mate in Lewis Hamilton, ensuring he was his best self all the time and hoping that would be enough.

Rosberg was handed a significant advantage with the comparative reliability of the two Mercedes at the start of the season, and even then Hamilton would have clawed the advantage back had he not had an engine failure while leading in Malaysia late in the season.

The situation at McLaren this year feels different. In 2024, Norris was decisively the faster and more convincing McLaren driver over the season. In 2025 so far, that has been Piastri.

Norris is struggling to adapt to certain characteristics of the McLaren – particularly its lack of front grip at certain phases of the corner with his driving style.

But he is aware of what he needs to do. As he put it in Jeddah on Sunday: “It’s my qualifying, my Saturdays, which are not good enough at the minute. That’s because I am struggling a little bit with the car.

“Yesterday was not the car, it was just me trying to take too many risks.

“So I just have to peg it back. I’ve got the pace. It’s all in there. It’s just sometimes I ask for a bit too much and sometimes I get a bit too ‘ego’ probably and try to put the perfect lap together. I just need to chill out a little bit. “

During the race in Saudi Arabia, Liam Lawson picked up a 10-second penalty for completing his pass on Jack Doohan off-track, so gained an advantage. Max Verstappen only got five seconds for his off-track advantage. What’s the difference between these two? – James

As the stewards explained in the verdict on Verstappen: “Ordinarily, the baseline penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage is 10 seconds.

“However, given that this was lap one and a turn one incident, we considered that to be a mitigating circumstance and imposed a five-second time penalty instead. “

Why can’t we go back to having a penalty that actually changes the position of the cars on track almost immediately (e. g. drive-through etc) rather than at a pit stop or after the race is completed? – Neil

After the controversy of the title-deciding race in Abu Dhabi in 2021, it was decided that teams should no longer be able to talk directly to the race director during a grand prix.

However, they can still talk to his assistants in race control and discuss incidents. So when a driver does a manoeuvre that looks borderline, teams have three options.

They can choose proactively to give the place back – as McLaren did with Lando Norris against Lewis Hamilton in Bahrain.

They can get in touch with race control and ask for an opinion on the move, and then make a decision as to what to do about it.

Or they can plough on and hope for the best, as Red Bull did in Jeddah.

The FIA stewards will then make their decision as to how to handle it. They have moved away from ordering drivers to give the position back, preferring specific penalties for specific offences.

Of course, the risk of this approach is that a driver in a faster car can commit an offence to gain an advantage and then effectively overturn the penalty before he serves it by building a lead bigger than the time loss of the penalty.

This is why Red Bull and Verstappen did not give the place back in Saudi Arabia.

Williams have already beaten their 2024 full season points total. What has made them so much better? – Stewart

Williams’ progress this season is a direct result of the investment put in by owners Dorilton since they took over in 2020 and the changes to the team made under new boss James Vowles.

Into last year, the introduction of new factory processes caused a difficult winter, the car barely made the first test and it was overweight for the first chunk of the season.

The difference this year was dramatic – their launch was held at Silverstone in public view in mid-February, and they ran the car for the first time there.

Williams are very much focused on 2026 and the new rules being introduced then, but as Vowles put it at the launch: “What I can demonstrate is very clear progress that’s taken place in manufacture, process, technology kicking in.

“We are moving into a new building this year, a benchmark driver in-the-loop simulator, that was started in 2023. The fact we’ve gone from 700 people to 1,000 means you’ll have low-hanging fruit of producing a better car with more performance added to it. But I consider that second to the long-term investment to get us where we need to be. “

Being on the weight limit sounds like a small detail but is actually a big deal. Last year, it was costing them not far off 0. 5 seconds a lap early in the year. Add that to this year’s performance, and instead of being the fifth quickest car on average, as they are now, they would be eighth fastest, ahead of only Haas and Sauber.

On top of that, Williams now has two world-class drivers rather than just one. And they are not crashing like they were last year.

Alex Albon ran with the car’s improved performance and scored good points in the first three races, while both he and Carlos Sainz were in the top 10 in Saudi Arabia.

So, in a nutshell, the team has made progress, they have a better driver line-up and you’re seeing it in the performance of the car.

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Man Utd closing in on Cunha – Tuesday’s gossip

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Manchester United close in on Matheus Cunha, Arsenal open talks with Viktor Gyokeres and Aston Villa consider selling Ollie Watkins.

Manchester United are nearing an agreement with Wolves and Brazil striker Matheus Cunha, 25, but will still need to activate his £62. 5m release clause. (Daily Mail)

Manchester United have sent scouts to watch Porto and Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa, 25, as they look for a replacement for Cameroon international Andre Onana, 29. Manchester City are also interested in Costa, who has a release clause worth £64. 3m (75m euro). (Correio da Manha – in Portuguese)

Arsenal have opened talks to sign Sporting CP and Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres, 26, early in the summer transfer window. (Football Insider)

Arsenal consider Athletic Bilbao and Spain winger Nico Williams, 22, a key target, but the player is undecided as to whether he wants to leave the club this summer. (GiveMeSport)

Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly, 20, will sign a new contract with the club after Chelsea showed interest in the England under-20 midfielder. (Fabrizio Romano)

Manchester United have maintained contact with the agent of RB Leipzig and Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko, 21, since he rejected a move to Old Trafford in 2022. (Manchester Evening News)

Manchester City and Portugal midfielder Bernardo Silva, 30, is set to be the subject of interest from Barcelona once again this summer. (GiveMeSport)

Tottenham Hotspur are weighing up a £30m summer offer for Chelsea and Portugal midfielder Renato Veiga, 21. (Football Insider)

Spurs and Manchester City are set to battle it out for Lazio’s Mario Gila, 24, but the Premier League duo will face competition from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich for the Spanish centre-back. (Caught Offside)

Manchester United are expecting to receive several loan offers from Championship clubs for England Under-18s full-back Harry Amass, 18, this summer. (GiveMeSport)

Aston Villa are exploring the possibility of selling England striker Ollie Watkins, 29, for £50-60m and sign loanee Marcus Rashford, 27, from Manchester United on a permanent basis. (Football Insider)

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