The swimwear featuring Hindu goddess Lakshmi that will never go on sale. (Picture AFP/Getty Images)
Members of the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party burned Australia's national flag during a protest in southern Hyderabad on the weekend. In north-western Armritsar, Punjabis took to the streets for prolonged protests.
The design has been condemned by the president of the Federation of Australian Indian Associations, Vish Viswanathan.
He told “The Daily Telegraph” the designs “hurt and offended the Hindu community worldwide, including over 200,000 Indians living in Australia.”
“It is difficult for me to believe it's unintentional,” Viswanathan said. “Why would someone do something like that unless they wanted some attention?”
He said it will further deteriorate views of Australia in India.
Designer Lisa Burke has previously lived in India, so many believe she should have known the swimsuit depiction of the popular goddess of wealth and prosperity was inappropriate.
Smh.com.au reports she has apologized to the Hindu community and posted an apology on her Facebook page: "We would like to offer an apology to anyone we may have offended and advise that the image of Goddess Lakshmi will not appear on any piece of Lisa Blue swimwear for the new season, with a halt put on all production of the new range and pieces shown on the runway from last week removed. This range will never be available for sale in any stockists or retail outlets anywhere in the world.”
She says on the company’s website: "'Lisa Blue' represents the girl of the future who can be sexy, beautiful, powerful and environmentally aware at the same time."
An smh.com.au online poll found that 46 percent found the design beautiful, 17 percent attractive, 14 percent in poor taste and 23 percent offensive.
Read more: Fashion week design sparks Indian outrage | CNNGo.com http://www.cnngo.com/sydney/shop/beauty-or-blasphemy-fashion-week-depiction-lakishma-sparks-indian-outrage-014626?hpt=C2#ixzz1LxAmpajO
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