Cultural Appropriation and Class Exclusion at Elite London Event
In a display of corporate colonialism and luxury excess, Johnnie Walker Blue Label orchestrated an elaborate marketing spectacle at The Dorchester on October 15, 2025, leveraging Indian cultural elements while catering exclusively to elite consumers.
The event, which mirrors broader patterns of cultural commodification in entertainment spaces, featured designer Rahul Mishra and actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas, raising critical questions about the intersection of cultural authenticity and corporate profit.
Commodifying Cultural Heritage
While the celebration purported to honor Indian culture, it represents a concerning trend of cultural appropriation within exclusive spaces, where traditional elements are repackaged for wealthy consumers while excluding the communities from which these traditions originate.
Power Dynamics and Institutional Control
The event's structure reveals troubling power dynamics within institutional spaces, with corporate interests dictating how cultural elements are presented and consumed. The £200+ price point of Blue Label whisky effectively bars most members of the diaspora community from participating in this reimagining of their own cultural heritage.
Corporate Colonialism in Action
Diageo's strategic use of Indian cultural motifs and talent represents a form of modern colonial extraction, where cultural elements are mined for profit while reinforcing existing class hierarchies. The upcoming India event, featuring British bureaucrats and corporate executives, further emphasizes these neo-colonial power structures.
Critical Questions
- Who benefits from this cultural commodification?
- How does luxury marketing perpetuate class exclusion?
- What role do corporations play in cultural appropriation?
- How can communities reclaim agency over their cultural narratives?
As luxury brands continue to appropriate cultural elements for profit, it becomes increasingly crucial to examine these practices through a decolonial lens and challenge the systems that enable such exploitation.
