YouTuber Emma Chamberlain -- the newest ambassador of Cartier jewels -- is being criticised for wearing Maharaja of Patiala’s diamond choker to Met Gala 2022. She had paired the choker with a custom-made Louis Vuittion dress.
The choker, also known as the 1928 Patiala Necklace, was commissioned by Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala. Cartier had created the heirloom piece with 2,930 diamonds and a 234.65 carat De Beers diamond as the centrepiece.
The ornament was, however, allegedly stolen by the British forces in India and repurchased by Cartier.
Chamberlain wearing the heritage jewellery to the Met Gala 2022 whose theme was (ironically) "gilded glamour" did not sit well with the internet.
"This choker is a piece of India’s stolen history, not a fancy piece of jewellery to lend out to celebrities or youtubers. I found this disrespectful on so many levels," tweeted Brown Baddies NFT Collection -- an account representing South Asian women to put Women of colour (WOC) on the blockchain.
Emma Chamberlain wore Maharaja of Patiala’s choker to the Met Gala > read the thread below on why I felt this was NOT okay 1/7 pic.twitter.com/fwQHVEIfUVRelated stories
— Brown Baddies NFT Collection (@BrownBaddiesNFT) May 8, 2022
Its just so crazy to me that people been talking about the iconic Marilyn Monroe’s dress but there was not even one mention of the background of the choker on the red carpet or any of the video considering its historical importance pic.twitter.com/mqC2kkDC30— popreset (@popreset_) May 7, 2022
In a clip showing Emma Chamberlain prepping for the Met Gala, the Youtuber can be heard describing the choker as "one of the most intense but beautiful pieces of jewellery". "This specific piece fits the theme so well because during the gilded age, it was all about being extravagant. And I have never seen a more extravagant necklace," she says in the video.
Yes nothing screams gilded glamour - than wearing heritage jewels of colonised POC pic.twitter.com/Z0hX7rlT8l— popreset (@popreset_) May 7, 2022
Meanwhile, both Chamberlain and Cartier are yet to respond to the criticism.
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