Cultural Appropriation vs Appreciation
“Fed by the products of their soil, dressed in their fabrics, amused by games they invented, instructed even by their ancient moral fables, why would we neglect to understand the mind of these nations, among whom our European traders have traveled ever since they could find a way to get to them?” -Kwame Anthony Appiah
This quotation by philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah describes the phenomenon wherein western culture possesses the characteristics of a dominant group by borrowing and taking physical characteristics of the minority cultures. Convenitaly, dismissing the processes of understanding them with a holistic perspective while they allow themselves to grab, pick and choose the pieces they want. Art and designers have always made reference to attire and artwork of other cultures as sources of inspiration, whether aware or unaware at times. Additionally, the topics of cultural appropriation have been a larger debate as people take the time to comprehend the importance of cultural individualism, rooted in the novelties and uniqueness of one’s identities.
At what point does appreciation become appropriation? This issue is in many ways straightforward however, more than often and especially with the rise of unsolicited and uneducated takes on social media, arguments have been made to justify and overlook issues of appropriation. Namely, fashion has the ability to portray the preservation of culture, values and beliefs, but may also control how they are presented in today’s society.
Salome Awa had the right reaction when she found out her great-grandfather’s design of his Shaman jacket was copied, an exact replica of a traditional piece of clothing with heavy significance for Indigenous communities. The design was used without consent or attempt of understanding, and thus there is no respect or appreciation for the design and the story behind it. Thus, it lacks the ability to convey any aspect of preserving the Indigenous culture, values or beliefs as previously mentioned art may be accredited to. Especially as this lends itself to misrepresentation. Furthermore, copying aspects of other cultures mindlessly can contribute to drawing stereotypes when poorly presented, such that they limit the ways in which these communities are seen
There is no real definition of culture as demonstrated historically, it is constantly evolving and changing as time progresses. The Indigenous people, being a minority, have been long-term victims of injustice and violence. Quite simply, when an individual outside of a culture uses an aspect or object of a culture without permission, it, therefore, becomes appropriation. Appropriating cultures means disrespecting their struggle, denigrating the hardships of the individuals and degrading their identity to a ‘trend’.
To expand on this, cultural appropriation is the act of “borrowing” or stealing an element from a culture and using it for a purpose different than that which it was intended, specifically focusing on items with spiritual and religious importance.
For example, music festivals such as Coachella and Lollapalooza originally gained attention with the current generation due to the recurring theme of being “hipster”, while concurrently appropriating Indigenous culture. Especially in the early popularization of Coachella (i.e. 2015), there was heavy use of tribal print and native patterns in clothing. Consequently, a petition emerged to ban certain decorations Coachella used in their festival since they are an exact replica of teepees, conical shaped tents which provide shelter and a space for community and which are traditional to the Indigenous peoples.
An official ban was never put into place at Coachella and even now, teepees are used as decoration. Particularly during that time period, Coachella influenced the people who attended the event to wear clothing that mimicked traditional Indigenous practices and clothing such as headdresses, faux feathers, and warpaint. There is never a balance present between being on trend and wearing clothes for the sole purpose of aesthetic while possibly offending people of minority and oppressed cultures.
It is morally wrong to assume aspects of cultures can be tried on and taken off without consequence, or thought to the parties affected by the very real oppression they face. This relates largely back to the concepts of intersectionality, the differing identities an individual holds gives them unique experiences on life, influencing the way they encounter spaces, people, opportunities etc. This term was coined by black feminist scholar, Kimberle Crenshaw, in 1989. A concrete part of intersectionality is the uniqueness which comes with being an individual, you, but also in some ways the permanence. A black woman can not choose to be a white woman for a day, she will never be given the privileges, opportunities etc. that a white woman has even if she tries her best to conform to the physical aspects of a white woman. The same can be said in the opposite manner, a white woman can not choose to be a black woman for a day, by wearing their clothing, copying their hairstyles etc., because though they may share the hardships of being a woman, she will never face the oppression, prejudice and hatred etc. that a black woman is faced with in society. It is also apparent that one identity has been placed in position of power for centuries; the concept of picking and choosing aspects of typically oppressed communities, to try on and dispose of, is dehumanizing.
Today, aspects of culture are still popularized for accessorization that dismisses their importance, i.e. bindis, henna, dashikis etc. Cultural appropriation can be especially highlighted when these practices are used for profit or gain, as popularization in fashion tends to do by reducing them to trends and aesthetics.
There have been many fashion companies that have acknowledged the Native American culture such as B. Yellowtail, which appreciates indigenous, authentic design through clothes or what the company refers to as “wearable art”. There is a difference between replicating a pattern used for ceremonial attire for a clothing line and being inspired. A good designer will pay respect to a culture by publicly saying that it was their source of inspiration instead of attempting to get away with design theft.
A successful fashion collection needs research conducted about the culture they want to acknowledge and needs to be executed with respect and sensitivity in mind. When a designer creates an exact replica of a pattern from a minority group, some may wrongly assume that this person was the creator of the style. It is important for these designers to recognize and understand the difference between inspiration and imitation and they should be creative enough not to rely on imitation. When the inspiration is conveyed correctly, fashion can be culturally powerful and unify different cultures in interesting and influential ways.
To read more on the topic visit “Curbing Cultural Appropriation in the Fashion Industry” by Brigitte Vezina
https://issuu.com/cigi/docs/paper_no.213
WORKS CITED
Appiah, Kwame Anthony. Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2006.
Zerehi, Sima. "KTZ Fashion under Fire for Using Inuit Design without Family's Consent." CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 25 Nov. 2015. Web. 4 Dec. 2015.
CNN, L. D. (n.d.). Coachella is back. But have festivals escaped the problematic legacy of “boho chic”? CNN. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://www.cnn.com/style/article/coachella-festival-fashion-cultural-appropriation/index.html
Department, T. S. W. (n.d.). Coachella’s cultural appropriation problem. The Spectator. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://stuyspec.com/ae/coachella-s-cultural-appropriation-problem
Swimmer, S. (2022, May 9). Post-coachella 2022: On the issue of festival clothing. Native Max. https://nativemaxmagazine.com/post-coachella-2022-on-the-issue-of-festival-clothing/
Steinmetz, K. (2020, February 20). She coined the term ‘intersectionality’ over 30 years ago. Here’s what it means to her today. Time. https://time.com/5786710/kimberle-crenshaw-intersectionality/