Turn heads with a turban, says royal milliner
Duchess of Cambridge’s hatmaker risks anger of some Sikhs with her latest advice for a ‘show-stopper’
IT IS traditionally worn as a symbol of religious identity, rather than as a fashion statement. But according to the Duchess of Cambridge’s hatmaker, this year’s “show-stopper” trend is set to be the turban.
Jane Taylor, one of the country’s top milliners, has declared the turban a “chic and timeless headpiece” that is “a completely new look this season”.
However, the hatmaker’s prediction comes amid growing controversy around so-called “cultural appropriation” – where a dominant culture “takes over” elements associated with a minority. Earlier this year, the fashion designer Gucci attracted criticism for sending supermodels wearing turbans down the catwalk.
British Sikhs, including Tina Daheley, the BBC presenter, attacked the brand for turning the religious garment into a fashion accessory at a time when Sikhs were still persecuted for practising their religion, and subjected pranced around the models. Delicately embroidered bodices, full, tiered skirts, jaunty large-brimmed hats – clearly they never felt the need to compromise their womanliness simply because they’d been granted the right to racist attacks. The Sikh Coalition responded to the controversy by tweeting: “The Sikh turban is a sacred article of faith, @gucci, not a mere fashion accessory. #appropriation”
The Duchess gets first pick of Ms Taylor’s new styles, which she holds for some years before releasing them to the public. It is not known whether she will choose to wear a turban this year.
In the Western world, turbans are most commonly worn by Sikh men, who, following the teachings of the 10th and final Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, do not cut their hair.
Turbans are not unique to Sikhs, with senior Islamic officials, Hindu priests and people in some African cultures also wearing them. Historians suggest that Guru Gobind Singh told followers to wear the head covering, also known as a dastar, as a unifying symbol of Sikh faith but also to elevate them all to a level of nobility in the eyes of God.
In modern society some Sikh men do layers of fine tulle and filmy chiffon blouses. Waists were cinched in with the Escaramuzas’ signature wide black leather purse belts – another cult Dior accessory hits pay-dirt. Dior’s famous Bar Jacket has been updated in cotton. not wear a turban, arguing that it is not mandatory, while some Sikh women have started to wear them, in a break with tradition.
Ms Taylor, 36, who also makes hats for Sophie Wessex, Zara Tindall, Princess Eugenie and Lady Louise Windsor, told The Sunday Telegraph: “The turban is a completely new look this season and a real show-stopper… it’s a chic and timeless headpiece that can be worn during daytime teamed with jeans and a white top for a comfortable style, or at a special evening occasion.”
Some Sikh leaders have embraced the trend, suggesting that it could normalise the turban. Ashish Joshi, the spokesman for the Network of Sikh Organisations, said: “Overall, it’s a good idea because not long ago wearing bowler hats was common – why not have a new look! It moves the exoticism out of head gear, which could only be a good thing. If the turban becomes less unusual, Sikhs who wear turbans will not be stared at as much.”
Lord Singh, who frequently represents the Sikh community in the House of Lords, said that although he was not offended by the fashion for turbans, “it would be nice if [the wearers] stood up for the principles that wearing the turban entails. They’d be welcome to get into Sikhism.” friendly clothes than their male counterparts. But Grazia Chiuri, the first woman at the top of Dior in 70 years, meshes Christian Dior’s intensely romantic lushness with a feisty 2018 sensibility.