Why Nordstrom's Comically Expensive ‘Indian Souvenir Bag' Is Nothing Short Of Ridiculous

If you’ve gone grocery shopping in the last week, I have some good news for you. That ratty jhola you use to lug your vegetables home from the market — yes, that same bag you can get for ₹20, or even for free — could be America’s next big fashion trend. 

Nordstrom, an American luxury department store chain, is now selling what they call an 'Indian Souvenir Bag'. Designed by the Japanese brand PUEBCO, the ‘Indian Souvenir Bag’ is a glorified dupe of the jholas found in abundance across India. The kicker is, their rendition of the canvas bag lying in a pile in the corner of your kitchen retails for a whopping $48, or ₹4,190.

Even to unfamiliar eyes, this bag is nothing special. It has no intricate designs or threads of gold woven through its cotton to justify its exorbitant price. The bag is simply stamped with Hindi phrases reading 'Ramesh Namkeen' and 'Anita Confectionery Works', driving home the fact that this ‘Indian Souvenir Bag’ is nothing but an expensive rip-off. In this case, price isn’t determined by quality or creativity, but rather, acts as a symbol of exclusivity. 

With over 370 stores across the United States and Canada, Nordstrom is a go-to destination for Americans looking to spend big bucks. These stores carry the likes of Christian Louboutin and Tory Burch, decidedly catering to an upper-class customer base. And while these customers wouldn’t dream of showing off a Walmart or Target bag, the Nordstrom website describes the ‘Indian Souvenir Bag’ as perfect for “showing off your love for a beautiful country.” Removed from its context, a purse adorned with nondescript foreign phrases shows off what could be considered cultured charm through an ignorant lens.

To give credit where it's due, the label that designed the ‘Indian Souvenir Bag,’ PUEBCO, seems well-intentioned. They use recycled materials, working with Indian artisans to bring their culturally-inspired, albeit unoriginal, designs to life. But with such unreasonable prices, we have to wonder, where do their high profits go? While not necessarily culturally appropriative, these products do feel like an exploitation of our culture, working under misnomers like ‘Souvenir Bag’ to masquerade something ordinary and mundane as glamorous and exotic.

This odd repurposing of Indian culture into an exoticised opportunity to make a profit has been far too prevalent over the past few years. From white-owned yoga studios with 'Namaste' plastered over their walls to overpriced turmeric-ginger wellness shots, the world is fascinated by South Asian practices. And yet, with anti-brown racism steadily rising, it’s not a stretch to say that many people prefer for these pieces of our culture to be stripped of their origins. We have to wonder: would this bag sell for $48 if it were advertised with the image of a regular, working-class Indian walking home with a jhola hanging off their shoulder? 

You can find the ‘Indian Souvenir Bag’ here.

And you can find its much more reasonably priced prototype at the store around the corner from your house. 

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