Prada Has A New Chai-Scented Perfume, And I Have A Bone To Pick

Prada is clearly in their Indian era because they just launched a chai-scented perfume, which is supposed to smell like sandalwood, cardamom, fresh citrus, musk, and all things warm and cosy. The Infusion de Santal Chai Eau de Parfum (priced at $190) is basically a monsoon-evening cup of masala chai (spiced tea) trapped inside a decanter. What's not to love?

But I cannot seem to get past the irony. The scent of masala (spices) is rooted in everyday South Asian life. However, it has also been a tool to enable racism against desi people in the global context.

Smell and South Asian hate

"You stink of masala." "Indians smell bad." "Pakistanis are smelly." Such tired insults still surface today across online discourse, revealing how casually South Asians are reduced to caricatures.

Many in the diaspora report being embarrassed to take homemade lunch, particularly food from their culture, to school or work because they are afraid it would attract unwanted attention. 

The everyday aromas of South Asian homes, the spices, the oils, the smokes, become ammunition for exclusion and turn cultural familiarity into something to be corrected or hidden.

And it isn't just about food. The smells of ethnic cosmetics like oils or henna, the smells of incense, and the smells of flowers have all been treated as markers of "otherness."

Smell hierarchy within South Asia

On a side note, even within South Asia, different smells come with a pungent note of social hierarchy. Some scents have historically been tied to caste and class differences.

A great example of this is the comedy-drama film Axone (2019), in which a group of Naga people living in Delhi perform an entire "underground mission" just to cook a traditional dish from their culture. 

In India, certain smells like fish, meat, or certain pickles are associated with non-dominant castes or tribes, signalling social structures where olfactory cues become markers of "purity" and status.

So yes, even your nose comes with politics.

Back to the point: Prada Beauty & Chai

Now that we know that smell isn't just about personal preference or aesthetics, let me unpack why I have a problem with Prada Beauty's chai-scented perfume. 

For many South Asians (at least in the West), the smell of masala has been turned from nostalgic to embarrassing. Yet, it is suddenly luxurious when filtered through a Western fashion house. 

The very scents that have got South Asians teased, judged, or told to hide are suddenly considered "exotic," chic, and sophisticated once they’ve been bottled by a luxury brand.

Maybe this argument is a far stretch. Maybe Prada is just showing appreciation for this very significant part of desi culture. And maybe I'm just bitter after last year's Kolhapuri chappal ordeal. 

However, it is hard to turn a blind eye to the obvious double standard: what’s ridiculed in everyday South Asian life becomes desirable once curated and sold with a $190 price tag.