New Delhi: Eyewear retailer Lenskart has introduced a revised in-store style guide after facing widespread backlash over an older version that barred Hindu religious symbols like bindi and tilak while permitting the hijab.
The controversy, which erupted on social media, sparked accusations of religious bias and prompted the company to clarify that the circulated policy was outdated and did not reflect current guidelines.
The brand, co-founded by Peyush Bansal, shared the link to the new style guide on X. They wrote, “We have heard you. Clearly and openly. Over the past few days, our community and customers have spoken – and we have listened. Today, we are standardising our In-Store Style Guide and sharing it publicly and transparently.”
The revised style guide for Lenskart staff keeps most of the same rules about appearing neat and tidy, with a few key differences. While the previous version prohibited bindis, the updated one now allows “religious, cultural, or family marks (such as bindi, tilak, sindoor, or any other).”
The earlier version also banned religious threads (kalawa). The new version, however, permits “cultural or religious items such as sacred threads, bangles, kalawa, mangalsutra, kada, or any other.” Staff who want to wear a hijab may continue to do so.
“If any version of our workplace communication caused hurt or made any of our team members feel that their faith was unwelcome here, we are deeply sorry. That is not who Lenskart is, and it is not who we will ever be,” the statement added.
The clarification did not seem to sit well with online users. Some accused the eyewear brand of failing to offer a genuine apology.
One user wrote, “Very late, allowing symbol of faith at bare minimum. The first question should be: being a publicly listed company, how can you implement this unconstitutional policy? You and founder should be sued.”
