It’s that tiny spark that goes off inside us when we see something that feels familiar or related to us. It’s why we search for our names in zodiac sign predictions, even though we haven’t the slightest clue about astrology, or why recognizing our name as a street shop sign feels oddly flattering. It’s representation.
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Get notified of top trending articles like this one every week! (we won't spam you)I. What is Representation?
The Oxford Dictionary defines representation as “the description or portrayal of someone or something in a particular way”, but I think it’s more than that. I think representation is being seen. Seen for our culture, our values, our ancestry, the way we live our life, something that connects you back to the person you are.
It is incredibly important in a person’s sense of self, because being seen affirms that you exist beyond surface-level recognition. It reminds you that your culture is not just an idea, but something lived, inherited, and meaningful. Representation, at its core, is validation, a reassurance that who you are has a place in the world.
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II. The Role of the Big Shiny Screen
The internet, in this sense, is outstanding in acting as a platform for representation. People from diverse cultures all across the globe are able to express themselves and what makes up their identity. Social media, in particular, allows traditions, clothing, languages, and stories to reach audiences far beyond their place of origin.
However, sadly enough, this narrative is merely a mirage. While the internet may be a powerful space for sharing cultures and identities, it is just as often used to circulate ignorant interpretations of them which root from deeper thought patterns in society. A prime example of this, and the topic of this article, is one such scandal that truly depicts the masking qualities of the internet.
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III. Very European, Apparently
In 2024-2025, a widely spread fashion trend circulated all around social media under the label: Scandinavian scarves. A long, flowy and lightweight scarf draped over shoulders as a chic, European accessory (marketed as a new trend). However, many people all over the internet quickly realized that the garment which was being shown wasn’t a nordic invention at all, it seemed to describe a 3000+ year old South Indian garment, the dupatta.
The controversy gained particular attention after a TikTok video by Bipty, a US-based fashion rental brand, showcased white women wearing sheer scarves over midi and full-length dresses and described it as “very European, very classy.” Consequently, the video triggered massive backlash online, with many people bringing up the mislabeling of a cultural garment as erasure of its South Asian origins. Due to the criticism, Bipty’s founder publicly apologized, acknowledging that the aesthetic in the video was not European and that the naming had been a mistake.
IV.A Scarf by Any Other Name
It would be easy to place the blame on Bipty and move on, to reduce the Scandinavian scarf scandal to a single brand’s misstep. But doing so misses the point entirely. This issue isn’t just a trivial mistake, it’s rooted in a deeper societal thinking pattern, cultural neutralization.
Cultural neutralization is when cultural elements only gain visibility after they are detached from their origins. This process is not necessarily intentional, but it reflects existing trends in how global audiences engage with culture. Names being softened and histories being omitted without the recognition of the people or traditions behind it. From the spiritual practices of yog turning into "yoga", haldi ka doodh to "golden lattes" and chai to "chai tea lattes", these changes don’t necessarily erase the culture, but rather reduce the visibility and recognition for these age old practices and traditions.
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V. Lost in Translation (And Then Trending)
This misrepresentation is comparable to the feeling of spotting your name mispronounced or misspelled, It's still recognizable, but it's not you. What gets lost is not the subject itself, but its narrative. The scarf, the practice, the tradition is no longer tied to a place, a people, or a lineage.
The most damaging effect isn’t even how others see a culture, but how people within it begin to see themselves. When traditions are constantly stripped of context, they no longer feel rooted. For those growing up away from their cultural homeland, this conversion is especially quiet. When people learn culture through fragments, a scarf, a mispronounced word or a half-explained ritual. The culture and tradition starts to feel unfamiliar even to the people it belongs to. Over time, it becomes easier to detach from it than to defend it. As a result, individuals begin to build pride without grounding, and identity without roots. And when culture is no longer confidently claimed, it fades.
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VI. Conclusion
At first glance, the Scandinavian scarf scandal looks like progress. Something South Indian has entered global visibility. But representation without recognition is a hollow victory.
This is why the issue matters. Each time we brush off cultural neutralization, we inch closer to thinning out the parts of culture that people use to recognize themselves. Sitting with this in 2026, it’s clear the scarf was never the point and it’s hard to pretend this is an isolated case. To truly be seen is not to be rebranded, but to be recognized as you are.
