Dear Burberry, Thanks For On-Point Inclusivity
No fuss, no grand gestures – a simple picture of a little Punjabi boy with a patka wearing a Burberry jacket has won over the entire South Asian community for the brand.
In just a few hours of the post being put up, it has become one of the most liked, boosting Burberry’s visibility and reach enormously. This little Sardar kid has overtaken the likes of Nicki Minaj, Lewis Hamilton, Michael B Jordan, and many other celebrity posts that are scattered across the brand’s page.
Yes, it is a great advertising idea – but it is also a great way to normalize the patka and show the world that it is as normal as wearing a jacket. It does not make the child any different.
Sikh children often face discrimination and bullying in schools and other public places when they sport the patka, making them fear the religious symbol of faith rather than be proud of it. This feeling is then carried through as they grow older, systematically making people give it up entirely.
For most South Asians growing up abroad, they didn’t always see people that looked like them, especially in mainstream media, photography, and movies, let alone in the fashion scene. With this ad, Burberry has put aside decades of discrimination and added a leaf of diversity that we are loving.
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The little handsome man is 4-year-old Sahib Singh from London who has become the first-ever patka-wearing model for Burberry. His parents are proud and their heartfelt note with the BTS of the shoot is a must-read.
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Inclusivity matters. No matter where you are and what stage of life you are, knowing that you are accepted for the person that you are gives every person a confidence boost like nothing else. We hope other brands will join the inclusive fashion scene and show the world that we can all live together in peace and love.
Once again, thanks Burberry!
