Luxury fashion often comes with price tags that could make your monthly rent look like pocket change. So, what does a style-savvy, jugaad-loving desi to do? Well, if you’re anything like entrepreneur Sandeep Mall, you turn to the OG designer: Mom.
Yes, you read that right. When faced with the eye-watering ₹31,000 price tag of Ralph Lauren’s The Iconic Cricket Jumper, Sandeep’s mom decided to pull off the ultimate DIY flex—she knit him a perfect dupe of the high-end sweater, turning his dream into a cosy reality. And, as expected, desi netizens lost their collective minds.
For many, this heartwarming story sparked nostalgia. After all, if you grew up desi, chances are you spent your winters bundled up in hand-knit sweaters lovingly crafted by your daadi, naani, mummy, or mausi. Social media lit up with responses from people sharing their knitted memories.
One user even pointed out that this sweater isn’t just any sweater—it’s practically vintage Indian cricket team merch! “Aww, isn’t it the same our old cricket team was wearing for years? We all had a sleeveless vest version of it while growing up.”
Was eying this Ralph Lauren sweater for years but was out of budget at 31000. माँ ने अपने हाथ में बेटे की इच्छा पूरी करने की जिम्मेदारी ले ली। pic.twitter.com/pt8lgzsAiK
— Sandeep Mall (@SandeepMall) January 25, 2025
DIY: The future of fashion?
With designer prices skyrocketing, more people are considering creative ways to recreate high-end looks without breaking the bank. From thrift flips to upcycling and, in this case, straight-up knitting your designer dreams into existence, the era of luxury jugaad is officially here.
So, while the world fawns over Paris Fashion Week’s extravagant runway moments, let’s take a second to appreciate the real MVPs of fashion—moms, grandmas, and every desi woman who’s ever looked at an overpriced sweater and thought, Beta, main bana dungi.
Moral of the story? Forget fast fashion. Go call your mom.
