Archive · 4 Oct 2026
Lara Raj’s Rekha-Inspired Sindoor Look Sparks Cultural Debate
Lara Raj from KATSEYE went to a fashion show in Paris with her bandmate Megan.
She wore a bright yellow dress and several pieces of Indian-inspired jewellery.
A red mark called kumkum or sindoor in her hair became the part people talked about most.
Raj said the look was inspired by actor Rekha and paid tribute to Rekha and her mother.
She also said kumkum had been part of her life since she was a child.
People online disagreed about using sindoor as part of a fashion look.
Some questioned it, while others saw it as a way to show South Asian heritage.
The discussion focused on the different meanings people attach to cultural symbols.
KATSEYE member Lara Raj attended Loewe’s Paris Fashion Week show on October 2 with bandmate Megan Skiendiel.
She wore a canary-yellow Loewe halter mini dress with Indian-inspired jewellery, including a bindi, maang tikka, jhumkas, nose pin and gold payals.
The prominent red kumkum, also described as sindoor, along her hair parting became the most discussed part of her look.
Raj said the styling referenced Bollywood actor Rekha; she also described kumkum as part of her life since childhood and said the look paid homage to Rekha and her mother.
Online responses differed: some questioned using sindoor as a fashion statement, while others defended the styling as an expression of South Asian heritage.
- Who
- KATSEYE member Lara Raj, accompanied by bandmate Megan Skiendiel.
- What
- Raj wore a yellow Loewe dress and Indian-inspired accessories, including prominent red kumkum or sindoor.
- When
- October 2; the articles do not specify the year.
- Where
- Loewe’s show at Paris Fashion Week in Paris.
- Why
- Raj said the styling referenced Rekha and her mother, and that kumkum had been part of her life since childhood; the look also prompted debate about cultural meaning.
Critics of the styling
Supporters of the styling
Sindoor as a fashion choice
Critics of the styling
Some social media users questioned using sindoor purely as a fashion statement.
Supporters of the styling
Others defended Raj’s styling as an expression of South Asian heritage and noted that the practice can have different cultural meanings.
- Event
- Loewe show at Paris Fashion Week
- Date
- October 2; year not stated
- Attendees
- Lara Raj and KATSEYE bandmate Megan Skiendiel
- Dress
- Canary-yellow Loewe halter mini dress
- Accessories
- Gemstone bindi, gold maang tikka and payals, nose pin, and silver jhumkas
- Raj’s explanation
- She said kumkum had been part of her life since childhood and the look paid homage to Rekha and her mother.
- Online reaction
- Some questioned sindoor as a fashion statement; others defended the look as an expression of South Asian heritage.
Sources
Sindoor, Maang Tikka And Payal! KATSEYE's Lara Raj's Rekha-Inspired Look At Paris Fashion Week Debut Divides Indians
KATSEYE Lara Raj's 'Sindoor' Controversy: Rekha-Inspired Look Leaves Internet Divided; Fans Ask 'Is She Married?'