Reformation is facing backlash over its recent collaboration with influencer and model Devon Lee Carlson after social media users accused the brand of drawing inspiration from South Asian culture. In April 2025, critics on TikTok maintained the new collection borrows heavily from traditional Indian garments, specifically legengas and ghaghra cholis, without giving credit where it’s due. What began as a fashion commentary quickly turned into a callout in recent days as Desi TikTokers began parodying the designs by modeling authentic, traditional outfits while sarcastically labeling them “Scandinavian” in protest.
The Devon Lee Carlson x Reformation collab
The Devon Lee Carlson x Reformation collab launched on March 31, 2025. Carlson is a fashion influencer and entrepreneur who launched a successful phone case company after giving one of her customized items to Miley Cyrus when she was 17. Fourteen years later, she partnered with sustainable clothing company Reformation for a 20-piece line. Her inspiration: Just being a girl.
“I honestly just love being a girl,” she told FASHION Magazine. “I love emphasizing my feminine side and wanted to show that off throughout the collection.”
She didn’t mention any cultural influences outside of Hollywood rom-coms, which irked some TikTokers and fueled accusations of cultural theft.
Reformation faces cultural appropriation accusations
On April 1, user @sigh.sai.sigh posted a video explaining why she’s not the biggest fan of the collab. In particular, she pointed out the Olivia low-waist skirt and Lula top combo.
“Baby, that’s a ghaghra choli or lehenga with a dupatta/chunni,” she said. “My girl is about to go strut the streets of India. She might as well have put on some jhumkis and some bangles.”
@sigh.sai.sigh just my thoughts on these pieces from the ref x devon collab #greenscreen #reformation #browngirl #browngirltiktok #lehenga #dupatta #devonlee #fashion #springfashion #indianoutfits #southasian #southasianfashion #jhumkas #ibizaoutfits #scarves ♬ original sound – sai
Sai points to early 2000s Bollywood films to show the similarities between their outfits and what Reformation and Carlson put together. While she acknowledges that little scarves are in style right now, this collaboration hits her limit.
“Give credit where credit is due,” she suggested.
Meanwhile, on April 5, user @agxyzie compared the collaboration to an episode of the Canadian comedy series Late Bloomer. In the episode, character Maanvi Dutta (played by Ashley Ganger) reacts with disgust to an opportunity for a similar collab with a fashion influencer who “washes down South Asian looks for the masses.”
“I’d rather rim myself than sell my soul to someone this basic,” she says.
Desi TikTok strikes back
Some Southeast Asian TikTokers took to modeling authentic Indian outfits as though they were items in the Reformation x Devon Lee Carlson collab as part of the wave of backlash against the company.
On April 5, user @sanicamehta displayed her light blue lehenga and dupatta combo with hashtags like #scandinavianstyle in a mocking accusation of cultural appropriation. The video caption claims she’s wearing something from the Reformation line, but it’s clearly meant to be an authentic outfit, and the commenters ate it up.
User @anjalinooka joked, “wow what a new concept!! this is so crazy that nobody’s ever worn something like this before!!”
@simran_sejpal love my oh polly sharara 🤓😌 #fyp #ohpolly #indianwear #sharara #browntiktok #browntok ♬ original sound – yusra khan
Similar clothing companies look to be getting caught up in the backlash as Southeast Asian women tire of trends that they feel are borrowing from their culture without asking. On April 2, user @simran_sejpal posted a video in a sharara dress and called out Oh Polly while claiming to wear a “Scandinavian scarf.”
According to her commenters, there’s a whole list of companies pulling this.
“There’s a brand called Essex Couture that also exploits and culturally appropriates south asian clothes,” wrote srk69_. “They keep deleting my comments.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to @sigh.sai.sigh and Reformation for comment via email.
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The post ‘Give credit where credit is due’: Reformation x Devon Lee Carlson collab accused of copying Indian fashion without credit appeared first on The Daily Dot.