Threads of Controversy: Is Cultural Appropriation in the Fashion Industry Consistently Negative?

Audience Analysis: My audience for this assignment is my peers at UMCP. In the context of a diverse and academically minded college campus, the majority of my readers will already have a foundational understanding of what cultural appropriation is, and often, the term carries negative connotations. The degree to which our community is attuned to this issue varies, and emotional responses may vary as well. As I explored this topic, I aimed to explore multiple perspectives and arguments regarding cultural appropriation in the realm of fashion. To engage this audience, I employ vivid imagery and personal childhood anecdotes to illustrate a scenario where cultural appropriation issues can arise. I thendive into the nuanced discourse and complexity of cultural appropriation through the repetition of rhetorical questions at the end of my introduction. I purposefully define the term cultural appropriation using a variety of sources to emphasize that the term isn’t as clear-cut as a simple dictionary definition. Lastly, I leave room throughout my essay for my audience to engage in critical thinking by asking open-ended questions. 

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When I was just a wide-eyed nine-year-old, I found myself captivated by the allure of fashion and culture unexpectedly. After watching Mulan for the first time, I was entranced by the Emperor of China and his regal yellow Dragon Robe. And, in my innocent mind, I decided that I was going to dress up like this for Halloween. The following weeks consisted of me pleading with my mom to help make this dream come to fruition. Yet, when Halloween rolled around, I didn't receive the Chinese Emperor costume I was

expecting. Instead, my mother handed me a Woody costume from Toy Story, complete with a cowboy hat and boots. At the time, I couldn't comprehend why I had to dress as a cowboy instead of in the extravagance of Chinese fashion. Only now, years later, can I understand the significance of her decision. 

My mother's choice was rooted in her understanding of cultural sensitivity and respect for a culture that wasn’t ours, something I was too young to grasp back then. Today, armed with a more nuanced perspective on propriety and ethics, I acknowledge that someone's culture transcends being a mere costume or fashion choice. Looking at this past experience still raises crucial questions: How can we navigate the intricate web of cultural borrowing in the fashion world while ensuring proper respect for each other's culture? When we call something out as cultural appropriation, is that inherently negative? What is the line between cultural appropriation and appreciation? Who holds the authority to make this determination? Is it designers, activists, or the discerning eye of social media scrutiny? These questions go beyond a childhood Halloween costume, sparking a deeper inquiry into the complexities of cultural appropriation in fashion. 

The rise of social media and “cancel culture” has empowered individuals to hold others accountable for cultural appropriation in fashion more than ever before. But is that always a good thing? In the New York Times opinion piece “What Does Cultural Appropriation Really Mean,” Ligaya Mishan 

claims that “cultural appropriation is one of the misunderstood and abused phrases of our tortured age” (Mishan). Mishan argues that the misunderstanding of the term stems from the verb “appropriate.” From the Latin word ad propriare, or “to make one’s own,” Mishan asserts it is commonly mistaken as “to steal” (Mishan). Using the denotative or the connotative definition of appropriation can yield two distinct meanings: either adopting aspects of another culture or taking it without permission. So what is the official definition of cultural appropriation? Unsurprisingly, there isn’t a universal consensus. 

Bruce H. Ziff and Pratima V. Rao, in the introduction to Borrowed Power: Essays on Cultural Appropriation, define cultural appropriation as "the unacknowledged or inappropriate taking of intellectual property, cultural expression, or artifacts" and applying them to an unrelated culture (Ziff & Rao 35). Unlike the denotative definition, this definition incorporates the notion of intent, highlighting the

act of taking and applying elements of one culture to another, often with the connotation of ignorance or disrespect. This differs greatly from the definition provided in the Fashion Institute of Technology’s 2017 Summer Institute program, which understood cultural appropriation as “the use of elements of culture by nonnatives of that culture” (Pham 68). The vagueness of the term "use" in the Fashion Institute’s definition does not specify intent or potential harm, taking a more neutral stance that leaves the determination of harm or intent open to interpretation. But by whom? Is it a designer’s job to walk the gray line between appropriation and appreciating a culture? Alternatively, is the determination of what is deemed harmful and disrespectful entrusted to public opinion or solely to the affected groups? 

Public opinion on the acceptability of cultural appropriation in the fashion industry, much like its definition, is marked by polarized viewpoints. In fact, the potential harm of cultural appropriation isn’t even a concern to many. C. Thi Nguyen and Matthew Strohl organize the debate around cultural appropriation in their article “Cultural Appropriation and the Intimacy of Groups.” To one extreme are those who believe in universal entitlement: the belief that everyone has the right to appropriate from any culture, regardless of the situation, often citing cultural exchange and freedom of expression (Nguyen & Strohl 982). On the other end of the spectrum are those who believe in universal restrictiveness. These people believe that any appropriation of a minority group is immoral, as appropriation often stems from a lack of understanding and reducing sacred or significant symbols to mere trends (Nguyen & Strohl 982). This debate is a multifaceted and nuanced one, with opinions often dependent on the context of the situation at hand. So, what are those contexts? And what are the vested interests of certain groups that might cause them to differ in opinion? 

The hesitancy and harsh criticism from certain groups may have to do with claims of harm and a history of cultural exploitation within the fashion industry. The common ‘harm argument’ states that “some forms of cultural appropriation cause harm to members of the culture that is being appropriated” (Nguyen & Strohl 984). A prominent example of this in the fashion industry occurred during the November 2012 Victoria's Secret annual television fashion show when model Karlie Kloss walked the runway wearing a Native American-style headdress paired with a “leopard-print bra and G-string

underwear” (White 1425). As Fredrick White noted in “Fashion and Intolerance: Misappropriation of the War Bonnet and Mainstream Anger,” these war bonnets have always been exclusively worn by men, particularly warriors and chiefs, symbolizing “a man's honor, achievement, and standing in his community” (White 1426). Therefore, the inclusion of a war bonnet as a fashion statement by a woman in lingerie, disregarding its cultural significance to the community from which it was appropriated, was deeply offensive to many Native American communities. Public outcry also arose from non-Native American communities, primarily driven by the historically stereotypical portrayals of Native Americans. White indicates that much of the anger was derived from the stereotypical depiction of Native American clothing, despite the fact that the feathered war bonnet is utilized by less than two percent of these Indigenous tribes (White 1425). 

In the absence of cultural sensitivity, the appropriation of cultural elements in fashion has been met with widespread criticism from not just the general public, but also designers. In an interview with Vogue, Chinese American designer Kim Shui denounced appropriation in fashion that “is not coming from a genuine place” (Allaire). She emphasizes the importance of designers avoiding harmful stereotypes like “chopsticks in your hair” (Allaire). Given the history and trauma of harmful and inaccurate stereotypes, it makes sense why minority groups are more cautious with nonnatives’ use of their cultural aspects in fashion. But is limiting designers only to the cultures from which they come the answer? This solution severely stifles designers' creativity by confining them to a narrow cultural scope, limiting fusion and cross-cultural inspiration. In the New York Times article “Cultural Appropriation Can Be Beautiful,” opinion columnist John McWhorter endorses cultural appropriation and fusion, crediting them with fostering revolutionary innovation in the music industry (McWhorter). With sampling of works, remixing existing songs, and DJ culture, artists are constantly combining different genres and cultural elements to create something new and exciting. These practices are often celebrated in music for their creativity and ability to bridge cultural divides.

So, what makes navigating the intricate web of cultural borrowing and respect in the fashion world so much more polarized and debated compared to other genres? Could the form in which appropriation occurs play a significant role in how audiences perceive it? The visual and commercial nature of fashion invites intense scrutiny compared to other cultural elements like food or music. A telling illustration of the differences between fashion and other genres can be encapsulated by an Instagram comment, where a fashion designer’s use of dreadlocks was compared to non-Japanese people eating sushi. Both critics and supporters of the fashion designer rushed to refute this comment, acknowledging that cross-cultural eating was a form of cultural appropriation, yet deeming it acceptable (Pham 68). This raises the question: why does clothing generate so much more controversy? Author Lauren Nilsson offers a potential explanation. She describes how more often than not, cultural clothing is grounded in the context in which they are worn, whether it be sacred rituals, practices, or special occasions (Nilsson). When non-natives wear cultural attire, even with good intentions, the strong negative reactions from community members often originate from the perception that their culture is being trivialized or reduced to a mere costume (Nilsson). In music and food, the potential for offense in this area is diminished, as individuals can savor the sounds or tastes without worrying about taking it out of context. Overall, the inquiry into the resemblance and differences in cultural appropriation across these various genres highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of how context and intent interplay. 

Within the realm of fashion, cultural appropriation presents a high level of complexity worthy of careful consideration and discussion. Its impact defies a binary classification of exclusively positive or negative due to the interplay between group interests, subjectivity, and context. Whether it involves critiquing an artist's designs or evaluating how individuals choose to express themselves through fashion, as in a Halloween costume, cultural appropriation remains a highly divisive matter shaped by individual experiences, cultural backgrounds, and inherent biases. Through this inquiry, I have gained a deeper respect for my mother, who, despite the gray areas, chose to err on the side of caution by disallowing a Chinese costume, possibly preventing harm or offense to communities. Furthermore, exploring the topic of cultural appropriation in fashion opens the door to a greater dialogue: what could be a potential solution in an era of heightened globalization? How can we balance cultural sensitivity and respect while also encouraging cross-cultural exchange, sharing of cultures, and innovation within the fashion industry and beyond?