Right off the bat, it must be noted that the evil eye amulet and the evil eye are not the same thing. The amulet goes by many different names due to cultural differences but because I am discussing this from my point of view with an Iranian background I will be referring to it as “chesme Nazar” or just Nazar.
The point of the Nazar amulet is to ward away and protect the possessor from the evil eye curse. The evil eye curse itself is explained by BBC Culture as “In essence, the curse of the evil eye is not a complicated concept; it stems from the belief that someone who achieves great success or recognition also attracts the envy of those around them. That envy in turn manifests itself as a curse that will undo their good fortune.”
While the use of the Nazar amulet has always been present on and off in the fashion world in recent months the amulet has become repopularized in mainly “alt” or alternative fashion aesthetics.
This in itself is not an issue however it becomes questionable when those who accessorize with the Nazar have little to no understanding of the purpose, background, or culture that is associated with the amulet. The use slightly varies in different cultures but when participating in trends that have cultural significance to cultures outside of one’s own it is extra important to take some time to become educated about the topic.