Couture designer Ali Xeeshan’s 2021 anti-dowry catalogue has caused a bit of a stir on social media with people questioning the designer’s expensive bridal dresses. The latest catalogue features bridal dresses with the backdrop of dowry culture that is still prevalent in Pakistan.
With harrowing pictures, Xeeshan’s catalogue brings forward the ugly truth of Pakistani wedding culture. This dowry campaign is a collaboration between the designer and UN women organisation. The campaign is named “Numaish” meaning that a bride and the wedding is more of an exhibition where the bride is dolled up and then bought off.
https://twitter.com/unwomen_pak/status/1358374228236644352?s=21
Though the campaign seems well-intended, many have criticised the designer for on one hand speaking up against dowry and on the other selling his dresses for a lot of money. Many have even said that the dowry backdrop is just another aesthetic for the designer to appear unique to his exclusive clientele.
https://twitter.com/__dragunov/status/1358338106144002050?s=21
https://twitter.com/teepusahab/status/1358547116843552776?s=21
https://twitter.com/rameensak/status/1358728419895349248?s=21
Having said that, the campaign has started a discourse around dowry which is a menace that continues to negatively impact the lives of women. People may not exclusively ask for it but it’s a given because families feel they can’t let their daughters go until or unless they’ve provided them with everything. Families who cannot afford dowry do not find a suitable match for their daughter.
The regressive societal norms and conditioning that we’ve upheld over the years has come to shape our mindset. In a society where a woman is not allowed to exercise her rights - that is if she’s given any- dowry is just another way that dehumanises women and equates them to mere objects who’s isn’t worth anything in itself until it’s accompanied by an entourage of other things.
Dowry is just one more regressive practice that is part of the toxic and extravagant wedding culture that exists in Pakistan.
With harrowing pictures, Xeeshan’s catalogue brings forward the ugly truth of Pakistani wedding culture. This dowry campaign is a collaboration between the designer and UN women organisation. The campaign is named “Numaish” meaning that a bride and the wedding is more of an exhibition where the bride is dolled up and then bought off.
https://twitter.com/unwomen_pak/status/1358374228236644352?s=21
Though the campaign seems well-intended, many have criticised the designer for on one hand speaking up against dowry and on the other selling his dresses for a lot of money. Many have even said that the dowry backdrop is just another aesthetic for the designer to appear unique to his exclusive clientele.
https://twitter.com/__dragunov/status/1358338106144002050?s=21
https://twitter.com/teepusahab/status/1358547116843552776?s=21
https://twitter.com/rameensak/status/1358728419895349248?s=21
Having said that, the campaign has started a discourse around dowry which is a menace that continues to negatively impact the lives of women. People may not exclusively ask for it but it’s a given because families feel they can’t let their daughters go until or unless they’ve provided them with everything. Families who cannot afford dowry do not find a suitable match for their daughter.
The regressive societal norms and conditioning that we’ve upheld over the years has come to shape our mindset. In a society where a woman is not allowed to exercise her rights - that is if she’s given any- dowry is just another way that dehumanises women and equates them to mere objects who’s isn’t worth anything in itself until it’s accompanied by an entourage of other things.
Dowry is just one more regressive practice that is part of the toxic and extravagant wedding culture that exists in Pakistan.