Thanks to Indian Fashion, Tiny Mirrors on Clothes Are Everywhere

Brands like Tory Burch and J.Crew are having a heyday with mirrors at the moment, stitching tiny reflective circles into skirts and tops. One dress in particular from Burch — a strappy maxi dress covered in mirrored circles that comes in pink and yellow — has gripped fashion fanatics in a serious way. I’ve already seen it out in the wild several times and on Instagram from well-to-do wedding guests, so much so that I’m almost already sick of seeing it.

As this luminous motif begins to transition into a full-on trend, conversations have begun to unfold about its origins. The technique has centuries-old roots in India, where it’s known as sheesha, and continues to be a popular embroidery method. While Burch has acknowledged how inspired she is by Indian fashion, and noted her popular mirror dress is indeed crafted in India, fashion writers and creators have taken it upon themselves to alert the masses that this is a re-creation of popular Indian formalwear. Or, as someone in my direct messages phrased it, “Who’s going to tell them brown girls have been wearing this for centuries?”

While Burch’s borrowing of the motif hasn’t quite created controversy, the conversation does fold into a larger discourse ever ongoing in the fashion world: Where is the line, if there is one, between cultural appropriation and appreciation? Perhaps one of these tiny mirrors has the answer for these designers.