Eyewear retailer Lenskart has publicly outlined its in-store dress and grooming rules following criticism over alleged limits on religious expression. The move comes after social media posts and employee accounts questioned whether certain symbols were treated unequally during internal audits.
The company said it is standardising and disclosing its style guide to clarify its policies and remove ambiguity.
“These guidelines explicitly and unambiguously welcome every symbol of faith and culture our team members carry—bindi, tilak, sindoor, kalawa, mangalsutra, kada, hijab, turban, and more. Not as exceptions. As who we are,” Lenskart said in a statement on Saturday. “Lenskart was built in Bharat, by Indians, for Indians. Our 2,400+ stores are run by people who bring their beliefs, their traditions, their identity to work every day. That is not something we will ever ask anyone to leave at the door.”
Lenskart said that if any version of its workplace communication caused hurt or made any team members feel that their faith was unwelcome, it was “deeply sorry,” adding, “That is not who Lenskart is, and it is not who we will ever be.”
The company said it was making a commitment—“not just in words, but in the document we are publishing”—that every policy, training material, and communication bearing its name would reflect these values.
It added that it remains committed to applying the guidelines fairly and consistently and will continue to review and improve its processes, stating, “We will do better. And we will keep earning your trust.”
The controversy erupted after a user on X shared what was described as an internal style guide from Lenskart. The document allegedly permitted some religious attire, such as black hijabs, but omitted Hindu markers like tilak or bindi.
Current and former employees then alleged that audit scores were affected by displays of religious identity. The company had clarified that the document was an outdated internal training guide and not current policy.
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