Elle India deletes controversial illustration after receiving flak on social media

New Delhi: On October 31, fashion magazine Elle shared an illustration of men wearing saffron as goons, attacking and vandalizing brand labels such as Tanishq and FabIndia for their ‘creative’ ad campaigns on Hindu festivals. A man wearing saffron ‘gamcha’ beating a meat seller, probably for selling meat. The illustration was designed by 19-year-old artist Lord_VoldeMau, whose social media profile is currently locked.

The post read, “it’s the recurring season where Indian fashion labels are schooled on how to creatively incorporate religion while designing their campaigns. Last year, @tanishqjewellery received a non-violent lesson on how to showcase jewellery without meddling with the ancient Hindu-Muslim narrative. Recently, @fabindiaofficial released and pulled down a Diwali campaign titled Jasn-e-Riwaz. Little did they know that the term means long-live Muslims in Urdu and is a secret ode to the Mughals.”

However, within 24 hours since since posting it, Elle deleted the post after receiving major backlash by social media users. Though the post has been removed from Elle India’s official Instagram handle, Netizens have continued to display their anger and disappointment on the microblogging site Twitter.

Twitter user Swati Goel wrote, “Did a mob attack any store of Tanishq? No Did a mob attack any store of Fabindia? No So why is Elle India showing men in bhagwa carrying lathis charging at these stores? This is fake news, not creative liberty”.

Did a mob attack any store of Tanishq? No
Did a mob attack any store of Fabindia? No

So why is Elle India showing men in bhagwa carrying lathis charging at these stores? This is fake news, not creative liberty pic.twitter.com/ZAGxT1AJvV

— Swati Goel Sharma (@swati_gs) November 1, 2021

“Now Elle India, a magazine meant for brain-dead bimb0s about fashion and make-up is giving gyan to Hindus!”, another wrote.

Now @ELLEINDIA, a magazine meant for brain-dead bimb0s about fashion and make-up is giving gyan to Hindus! pic.twitter.com/GDWYaHCJrM

— Shefali Vaidya. ?? (@ShefVaidya) November 1, 2021

Absolutely disgusting by @ELLEINDIA https://t.co/WRRXXaBlqE

— जय श्री गणेश। (@sampavar) November 1, 2021

This is just garbage behavior @ELLEINDIA pic.twitter.com/X42k8Rk5qb

— Edgar Allan Poeha (@vaniIlaessence) November 1, 2021