- Pharrell Williams and Adidas released new Holi-inspired line of color-splattered sneakers and apparel.
- Holi is a Hindu spring festival that celebrates love, colors, fertility, and the victory of good over evil.
- Now the musician and apparel brand are being accused of cultural appropriation over the collection, which is named Hu Holi.
- A Hindu statesman wants Adidas to change the collection's name.
- Items in the collection cost between $40 and $300 and are still for sale.
Pharrell Williams and Adidas are being accused of cultural appropriation over a new line of sneakers and apparel that were apparently inspired by Holi, a Hindu spring festival that celebrates love, colors, fertility, and the victory of good over evil.
The items in the collection, which is named Hu Holi, are meant to mimic the way white clothing gets doused with colored powder during the Hindu festival.
To promote the collection's launch, the musician celebrated Holi at an event in India hosted by Bollywood star Ranveer Singh. In a video taken at the event, Williams participates in the festival for the first time and learns about Holi traditions.
According to a description on Adidas' website, "the Adidas Originals Hu Collection showcases Pharrell Williams' creative flair for celebrating human diversity."
But not everyone sees it that way. Some people have accused the brand and Williams of cultural appropriation.
Something about Adidas’ new collection screams cultural appropriation... using our festival to sell a brand, and it’s shoes on top of it all, which Hindus would easily take offense too..and there’s not even an Indian celeb at the face of it @HYPEBEAST@adidasoriginals@HuffPosthttps://t.co/eNJSlSGWzQ
— prarthana iyer (@prarthanaiyer) March 2, 2018
"Something about Adidas' new collection screams cultural appropriation... using our festival to sell a brand, and it's shoes on top of it all, which Hindus would easily take offense too..and there's not even an Indian celeb at the face of it," Twitter user @prarthanaiyer wrote.
Dear Hindus,
— Durga (@durga_sata_rup) March 13, 2018
Adidas @adidasoriginals hired American musician @Pharrell to promote ADIDAS NEW SHOE collection which were made using theme of HINDU FESTIVAL HOLI.They tried to capitalize "shoes" worth $250 on our Hindu Festival n very explicitly used imagery from Holi to make Shoes pic.twitter.com/nLv8c9CjNM
A European company getting an American musician to market a line of apparel/footwear inspired by an Indian festival 🤔
— Ishita Trivedi (@Ishita_Trivedi) March 2, 2018
Don’t really care, but yuppp, technically, this is cultural appropriation. @adidasoriginals@Pharrellhttps://t.co/XwHENmFFFs
Pharrell Williams is selling Holi inspired clothes for $200 hsjsjs son we get that for free here lmao and doesn't this count as trying to make money off of a Hindu religious festival AND cultural appropriation sjss
— 꾸기♡ (@veautifuIIy) March 13, 2018
Other people are claiming that the line is overpriced and misses the point of Holi.
Ask an Indian what are holi clothes. They're typically one's old and torn clothes, at the end of their usable life. And Pharrell Williams wants to sell merch in those colours for $200? I feel sorry for those who buy them. 😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/fi3umOoaxx
— The Grad Student (@GradStuden) March 13, 2018
"Ask an Indian what are Holi clothes. They're typically one's old and torn clothes, at the end of their usable life,"@GradStuden wrote. "And Pharrell Williams wants to sell merch in those colours for $200? I feel sorry for those who buy them."
and sis really thought that holi aftereffects look this mild,, this is a basic tie-dye that y'all duping people into paying $200 for, while also stereotyping and offending a culture. thats 3 birds with one idiotic stone congrats @Pharrell@adidasUSpic.twitter.com/BNP9mkhvvW
— navs✨ mullet anti, s/h; (@rigelbayer) March 13, 2018
Uhhhhh @Pharrell and @adidas trying to make people dish out $200 for a "Holi Hoodie?" You know people can wear anything white to Holi and get this look for free right? Not saying you're trying to capitalize on a Hindu holiday but....🤔 pic.twitter.com/aRRXWPmKxE
— Bhavin Patel (@Bhav1n) March 2, 2018
left: $200
— m (@meganbrrr) March 12, 2018
right: $0 @adidas@Pharrell please don’t capitalize off a hindu holiday... this doesn’t even capture holi a bit pic.twitter.com/CmdBppWdm9
Some people are even saying the clothes resemble tie-dye, not something one would wear to Holi.
@Pharrell Just because you went to India and got “inspired” doesn’t make it Holi. Call it something else.
— Gurpy Colors o(:) (@gurpycolors) March 13, 2018
This shit tie-dye. pic.twitter.com/hBhoaxZqt3
Pharrell could've avoided this whole cultural appropriation shitstorm by calling his new collection "tie-dye" because that's exactly what it looks. Putting Ranveer Singh in your promo video doesn't really change anything.
— 🍃🐘Shay🐘🍂 (@acharmingbore) March 12, 2018
Others say they don't see this as cultural appropriation.
calling Pharrell’s Holi collection “cultural appropriation” is a bit of a stretch 🤷🏽♀️
— kish (@kish_lal) March 13, 2018
- he was invited to India to be a part of the festival
- there are South Asian ppl in the ad campaign
- he isn’t even pretending he came up with the idea, he’s paying homage TO Holi???
"Calling Pharrell's Holi collection 'cultural appropriation' is a bit of a stretch," Kish Lal, a writer, DJ and podcaster based Melbourne, Australia, said.
So @Pharrell was called out for cultural appropriation of the Hindu holiday Holi even after saying that’s what the line was inspired by? pic.twitter.com/UHQGA3CVug
— Jordan D. (@byJordanD) March 13, 2018
pharrell's holi collection is not "highly insensitive", y'all just get mad over everything
— gunisha⚡️ (@gkc17_) March 13, 2018
Rajan Zed, a Hindu statesman, criticized the Hu Holi line in a statement given to INSIDER and Nevada Today, which he republished on his website. Zed called the collection "highly insensitive" and suggested that the company rename the line.
"Williams and Adidas should have done some homework before taking Hinduism concepts frivolously and using these to make a fashion statement and sell shoes for mercantile greed," Zed said.
In a statement given to INSIDER, Adidas elaborated on its intentions with the Hu Holi line, saying it was meant to inspire "positive change."
"Adidas Originals and Pharrell Williams created Hu as a global platform to inspire positive change," a representative for the brand said. "Hu was founded upon the principles of unity, equality, humanity, and color with an intention to explore humanity and celebrate diversity around the world. Together Adidas Originals and Pharrell Williams use the platform to help tell stories of others from around the globe."
Representatives for Pharrell Williams didn't immediately respond to INSIDER's request for comment.
At the time of publication, the line is listed on Adidas' website. Items cost between $40 and $300. Several items from the Hu Holi line are currently on sale, and the rest will be available starting on March 16, according to the brand's website.
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