Modi jacket or Nehru jacket? The history behind the iconic Indian waistcoat

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The Modi jacket and the Nehru jacket are frequently mistaken for one another, yet a closer look at their historical origins reveals crucial differences. Jawaharlal Nehru brought the band-collar waistcoat into the limelight, whereas Narendra Modi has redefined it as a powerful political symbol through constant visual exposure. This evolution raises important questions about the relationship between visibility in fashion and the attribution of creative ownership in cultural expressions.