Leather yoga mats ridicule and offend two fundamental concepts of Hinduism. At the end of 2020, Louis Vuitton faced similar criticism. Now the same Hindu activist has turned his attention to the leather yoga mat included in the Giobagnara x Poltrona Frau collection. “Prestigious brands with strong cultural heritage should not engage in religious appropriation, sacrilege, the trivialisation of serious spiritual practices or the ridicule of entire communities”, said Rajan Zed, President of the Universal Society of Hinduism.
In late 2020, Louis Vuitton, the flagship brand of LVMH, launched a yoga mat featuring leather details and a leather shoulder strap, retailing online for USD 2,390. Rajan Zed described the product as “highly inappropriate” for practising Hindus, who regard cows as sacred symbols of life. Although Louis Vuitton never officially announced that the product had been withdrawn from sale, Zed subsequently thanked the French luxury house after, just a few days following his criticism, the company’s online store displayed the yoga mat as “Unavailable”, while still inviting interested customers to contact customer services.
The leather yoga mat
A similar controversy has now arisen over a leather yoga mat, priced at EUR 1,464 on the Poltrona Frau website, as part of the Giobagnara x Poltrona Frau collection. Writing on the India News Calling website, Rajan Zed argued that the product appears to ridicule and offend two core elements of Hinduism — both the sacred status of the cow and the practice of yoga — and demonstrates a profound lack of sensitivity towards Hindu beliefs. Zed called on Poltrona Frau CEO Nicola Coropulis and Giobagnara CEO Giorgio Bagnara to issue a formal apology and to take their ethical responsibilities seriously.
审核：雒霞
