Cultural appropriation and its fashion
Introduction
Cultural appropriation is happening in luxury fashion, the most expensive and exclusive designers of the world are often inspired by some of the minority cultures of society, these inspirations should be clearly recognized by their origin, however they only use their cultural styles For financial profits.
The ON, I explore more thoroughly the issue of cultural appropriation in western luxury fashion, I also included an explanation of the cultural appropriation parallels vs. appreciation. The objective of the essay is to argue that in the fashion industry, as well as dominant cultures take the right to talk about minority cultures, how designers simplify cultural images.
Developing
Luxury fashion in the western world began in the 19th century by Charles Worth, who has been recognized by upper class people. What defines luxury fashion is the high price and the use of top quality materials. In recent years, many designers of this fashion have been part of great attention in the issue of cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation is to use cultural artifacts, symbols, clothing and other indicators, outside the identity or culture for the benefit or gain.
Designers present these styles as if they were new. They could be for their traditional high -class client type, but these styles are certainly not new in those identities to which they belong. When an important brand does this, other brands think that it is well to reproduce styles without correctly recognizing where it comes from.
In general, these designers are responsible for what the public sees, and choose to take attributes of cultures outside theirs and is a great offense, because they have generally been discriminated against by these same styles, but they are acceptable to use after being popularized by western designers.
Fashion trends popularize by the media and are given cultural capital. An example would be when in September 2016, the American fashion designer, Marc Jacobs, presented many white models with their fashion parade spring / summer 2017 and digital campaign.
Often, the dreadlocks have been as little professionals, but when high -level designers do it, this aspect is normalized and fashionable, which influences culture in general. Marc Jacobs did not prove the cultural identity to which it belongs, but use the style to obtain commercial profits, all this is a cultural appropriation.
Cultural appropriation: the adoption of the culture of one as a tendency, while ignoring the cultural importance of the object that is being appropriate and praised for it. Cultural appropriation is an extremely disrespectful act. Not only is the object of a culture to identify, but the people of that culture that are appropriate are completely ignored.
The person who is committing the act may not be intentionally appropriating the culture of one to adopt it as their own, but to show her common interest in that culture. However, it is not yet adequate to do so. For example, if we follow the example of the dreadlocks, a white man decides to use them, without knowing the symbolism he represents. He uses them, without suffering the various obstacles that a black man would face, it is this one who suffers the stereotypes due to his race, the white man will not suffer from his privilege.
To take inspiration from other cultures has been a predominant tendency in the fashion industry for a long time. Some cultural elements can often be found in catwalks such as reinterpretation of the designer’s understanding towards a certain culture. In addition, in 2015 Met Gala, Sarah Jessica Parker used a flame -shaped hat created by Philip Treacy to fit the dress code ‘China: through the mirror’.
According to most of the comments that remain under Christian Dior’s video in the spring of 2003, Haout Couture Fashion Parade on YouTube, it is widely believed that this practice of using images of other cultures is the demonstration of transcultural creativity, a communication, a communication intercultural, even an appreciation of cultural diversity. However, it may not always be appropriate to use some cultural symbols to create fashions, which means that what people recognized as cultural appreciation could actually be cultural appropriation.
Cultural appropriation is not a new phenomenon, in fact, it is deeply related to the history of colonization, imperialism and white supremacy. Shand (2002) suggests that ‘the first process of appropriation of modern cultural heritage could be highlighted both in the times of the Enlightenment and the Empire’ ’. According to him, during the centuries, the first European intellectual and cultural requirements and then Americans are highly appreciated as models around the world.
These colonial powers not only extracted natural resources, but also cultural trophies. The settlers used the cultural heritage of indigenous peoples by stealing, marketing and exchange, including artifact designs, body painting and people themselves. Cultural appropriation, especially under the structure of power of global cultures, can refer to ‘a dynamic of particular power in which members of a dominant culture take elements of a minority culture.
Another controversy of cultural appropriation is the simplification of culture. The stereotype of a certain culture comes from too simplified images. As the Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adichie (2009) said, ‘the unique story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are false, but that they are incomplete’
The simplification of cultures not only limits creativity and imagination, but also creates asymmetric cultural cognition and cultural status. People whose culture has been minimized, deprived of their rights and marginalized are usually ethnically depreciated.
Cultural appropriation not only causes misunderstandings and stereotypes of cultures, sometimes it violates the intellectual property rights of indigenous groups. For example, Louis Vuitton is one of the brands that benefit from indigenous groups without recognizing them. In the Louis Vuitton 2012 Men’s Kanga collection, the brand used the square fabric Maasai in its products. Subsequently, the Maasai tried to obtain royalities from Louis Vuitton for using their cultural heritage in commercial merchandise. However, the brand still enjoys the benefits of the appropriation of Masai cultural heritage.
Some groups of indigenous people have asked the United Nations to promulgate the law against cultural appropriation. Since 2001, UNESCO and the World Intellectual Property Organization have been trying to create an International Law on Regulation on the undue appropriation of traditional images and indigenous knowledge protection
Some suggest that property implies a physical object, not including abstract things such as the idea, and since cultural appropriation is about being inspired, it should not refer to illegal. However, cultural appropriation measures in the fashion industry are plagiating particular cultural elements, which are obviously physical objects, therefore, is within the protection of intellectual property. In this case, intellectual property laws can efficiently protect certain articles from appropriation.
Globalization brings intercultural connectivity, people can now easily appreciate another culture, especially in the fashion industry. Fashion designers use some cultural elements to create fabulous fashion parades with their extraordinary creativity. However, cultural appreciation tends to become cultural appropriation due to the lack of deep understanding and respect. In addition to the offensive misuse of specific cultural images, cultural appropriation could be a more serious problem.
Under the structural inequality of global cultures, the right to speak would always belong to the most dominant cultures. Those of relatively minority cultures do not have the right to demonstrate their own cultures, while they are systematically oppressed by the dominant groups. In addition, cultural appropriation creates the problem of simplification, including self-simplification by indigenous designers.
conclusion
Simplification comes from the stereotype towards a certain culture, designers tend to choose the most popular cultural symbols as inspiration, and use them in a relatively superficial way. Simultaneously, the designers of the cultures that appropriate would choose the same cultural images to demonstrate their cultural identity, which makes the situation more unwavering. In addition to the self-awareness of designers, legislating intellectual property laws could be a better solution to avoid cultural appropriation.
Laws not only protect traditional cultural expressions, but also help marginalized communities to increase social status. Through the cooperation of Western designers and indigenous designers, it guarantees that cultural elements will be used in a more appropriate and respected way.
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