A similar situation occurred during the Paris Spring/Summer 2016 Fashion Week with the Valentino collection. The collection was African inspired, “described as primitive and wild”
with clothing, accessories and hairstyles all originating from what the designers regarded as “tribal Africa” (Chung). Valentino’s team explains “the collection expresses totemic and primordial grace” and describes the use of long tunics, mask motifs, and terracotta jewelry as manners of representing African “ancestral taste”, connection to nature, and “regal grace” (“Spring/Summer”). From my perspective, describing the collection as wild and tribal should have sparked more conversation than it did, as the language used is belittling of African culture as it assumes
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In the fashion industry, Valentino’s work has always been seen as some of the finest. This may be why criticism over the clothing and accessories were left out of the scandal, because separately they were seen as justified uses of cultural appropriation. The concern of morality is linked specifically to the runway show, and the explanation is more of an issue of racism in the modeling industry. The runway show received the most backlash for the models used. Like in the Vogue issue, the design house was criticized for using mostly Caucasian models (Chung). It is interesting to note the major criticism of the show was the models used not the clothing itself as it supports the sensitivity of race and that the use of race as an element of artistry is deemed culturally inappropriate. I agree, it would have been more culturally appropriate to use African American models if Valentino was trying to accurately depict an African culture in fashion; however, the purpose of the collection was to adapt culture. I am not justifying racism in high fashion modeling, rather defending the use of Caucasian models to symbolize the collection was a form of adaptation. According to Nicklas and Linder, this basis provides why the collection received disapproval since adapted works often “[run] counter to the ideas of connoisseurs of the original” (2). These insights are beneficial for my claim as they highlight some members of the audience do not understand culture can be used as inspiration and therefore is a starting point from which adaptation can occur. Future collections by design houses should make the sources of their adaptation and inspiration more explicit. Particularly because designers draw on other cultures because they find them beautiful and unique, making their admiration known will help clarify their intent. Additionally, they should highlight that adaptation is not
Anyone who knows me, knows me knows that I love to watch reruns of “What not to wear” on TLC, As it teaches me something I clearly know nothing about, fashion. However anyone who is in my Spanish class known that I not only care about my culture but others as well. This school year has been interesting both fashion-wise and politically, from the Kylie Jenner Lip challenge, to Donald Trump running for president. It has been such a weird school year however, that it has pointed out a sad fact about the current fashion world, that is prevalent through the politics we discuss in our everyday lives, and that is cultural appropriation. As cultural appropriation according to the Oxford Dictionary is “A term used to describe the taking over of creative or artistic forms, themes, or practices by one cultural group from another. It is in general used to describe Western appropriations of non‐Western or non‐white forms, and carries connotations of exploitation and dominance.” And despite how much we would like to believe that this issue doesn’t exist in our present day society, if one looks In clothing stores, fashion magazines, and even Halloween parties, cultural theft is occurring. This can be seen especially with indigenous cultures as: elements of indigenous cultures are morphed into fashion trends and costumes for those who will never understand their significance. “Navajo print” leggings, “tribal” jewelry, and “Indian princess” Halloween costumes are examples of gross
Attention Getter: “These high fashioned brands represent to us (African Americans) success.” (Combs,2015). Reveal topic: High end fashion and the lack of representation and support of black designers/artist from both the black and white audiences. High end fashion: when a major fashion house such as Polo, Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana ,etc. design expensive, fashionable clothes Credibility statement: I became interested in this topic after watching a documentary on the history of urban fashion, but not just that, it also touched on the topics of culture, race, and identity.
(Choose a garment, which can be used to discuss fashion from the point of view of the consumer. This garment must be able to demonstrate how the consumer individually constructs their identity and conveys that identity through the style and styling of clothing. You should treat this garment as an object as a form of evidence, which can help you to explain theories of fashion discussed in the sessions. The intention of your analysis is to examine the ways in which we can ‘read’ objects and images, understand their meanings and explain them in the context of broader theoretical and social concerns. You should aim to be as analytical as possible. You may want to use further
This summer, to celebrate Carolina Herrera’s 35th anniversary in the fashion industry, SCAD FASH Museum has put on an exhibition of her work. Titled, “Refined Irreverence,” the exhibition is composed of both new and vintage pieces encompassing everything from her 1981 inaugural runway collection, day wear, bridal wear, and red-carpet gowns. Some of her new pieces on display were worn by celebrities such as Michelle Obama, Tina Fey, Lady Gaga, Lucy Liu, and Taylor Swift, Renee Zellweger. Herrera’s collections were inspirational and beautiful beyond belief.
Fashion is everything to society and the media. The fashion industry has transformed into a necessity in the life of people. Everyone wants to look good, feel fabulous and feel as if we belong with everyone else. The envy and desire to wear certain things and look a certain way all come, from wearing the latest fashion handbags, accessories, dresses, shoes, and the list goes on. But, when is considering fashion into an individual’s life going too far to the extreme? Many do not consider the whereabouts of fashion materials and how the environment is affected by the mere existence of certain garments. Some may believe these objects grow on trees. But that is clearly not the case. Even though it would be nice. The fashion industry as a
Since the founding of Vogue in 1892, its covers and glossy contents have featured the changing faces of fashion, from models and actresses of the era to musicians, writers and businesswomen from all over the world. It is clear that editors of Vogue magazine, published by Condé Nast have understood the changing world of fashion we live in, where the achievements and lives of famous aspirational women began to overshadow the now tiresome , ‘dull’ supermodel era under the instruction of Vogue’s current editor-in-chief , Anna Wintour. Anna Wintour, Vogue’s editor-in –chief, artistic director of Condé Nast and chairwoman of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual Met Gala may be regarded by many as one of the fashion industry’s most influential figures in the world.
The discussion on Kenyan fashion has a high prevalence of cultural layers that we can see will differ amongst the different social classes. African fashion in the modern world today is primarily used as a large example in discussing the manipulations of fashion because of the westernizing movement in cultural appropriation. Due to the fact that a large number of people in the western hemisphere are using cultural African apparel to suit their fashionista tastes, African women are therefore put in a position where they feel they must uphold the authenticity of such styles; as they feel pressurized in preserving their culture from appropriation. Fashion among middle class Kenyan women in urban areas and women living in other urban areas in Africa,
Fashion is art. Designers paint the body with fabric similar to the way an artist paints a canvas. Designer’s express themselves through the creation of their clothing shown off on the runway. These ideas are then reflected in the ready to wear lines that go on sale. Rick Owens 2015 runway show used male nudity to convey the idea of exposure and shame. Raf Simons 2002 show used flares and balaclavas to show aggression and that collection featured some of the
For example, black, Asian and Latina women tend to be born with gorgeous, plump and pouty lips. However, they are constantly getting critiqued and taunted for them, plus I cannot recall how many times I’ve heard comments like “Oh my God, check out how gross her huge lips are.” But when the glorified Kylie Jenner, a reality star of the famous “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” starts injecting her papercut lips with lip-fillers at the age of sixteen, she becomes a worshipped “icon”, resulting in many young girls (and boys) around the world partaking in the infamous “Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge”. This is a dangerous challenge which involves one sucking their lips into a shot glass until their lips are big and round, just like Jenner’s artificial ones. But is this fair? When a black, Asian or Latina woman embraces her naturally plump lips, she is greeted with mock and denigration but a white woman gets praised for having artificially big lips? Similarly, earlier this year, Karlie Kloss, a white model, posed as a geisha for the Vogue’s March 2017 “diversity” issue. Naturally, she was praised by many, but some backlashed at Vogue for displaying cultural appropriation. Why didn’t they hire a Japanese model? Why did they find it perfectly socially acceptable to whitewash a culture that is not theirs? Is this fair? This is inappropriate on so many levels; however, these examples only represent a tiny fraction of the
The use of the Kimono as fashion is seen by many as cultural appropriation too. In March of 2017, the magazine “Vogue” had a photography session titled “Geisha Photoshop.” They used the model Karlie Kloss, to wear the kimono, hairstyle, and makeup as a Geisha. This session was labeled as “racist” and “yellowface” shoot by the critics. The magazine thought they were celebrating diversity by dressing the models in the Japanese outfit, but the reaction was the opposite. People didn’t think that the “Geisha Photoshop” was a cultural appreciation but cultural appropriation (Wang,
The fashion industry is rapidly growing and constantly generating new fashion trends almost weekly. Fashion for some may seem ridiculous and unnecessary; but fashion is not just a meaningless usage of article of clothing or farcical materials sew together for coverage. There is more to fashion than meets the eyes, fashion is precious and significant. It is a reflection of self-image, it speak the ream about who we are and how we review ourselves. Not only is fashion the reflection of self-image but also the reflection of our history as Coco Channel have said, “Fashion is not something that exist in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” Fashion
Fashion has been around ever since ancient times, since the time of the Romans, it survived the world wars and is yet today a business with rapid changes. Fashion started off as an art form, a way for the riches to show their social status with unique and innovative designs that only they could afford. It was a way to separate the social classes of the society. In this paper I will include the creator of haute couture, and how the following designers developed couture, as well as having leading names in today’s ready-to-wear industry. The list is long, but I chose to focus on the three most important designers of the modern fashion industry.
Italian culture has had a big impact on American culture. The biggest impact can be seen through food. Various cities have areas called “Little Italy” that allow residents and visitors alike to get a taste of Italian cuisine. If it was not for Howard Schultz bringing back the ideas he got from the espresso shops in Italy, we would not have a Starbucks on every corner. Now thousands of Americans get there coffee fix from an adaptation of an Italian staple.
Rapper turned Fashion designer Kanye West’s style depicts every aspect of strength I would argue that his style structure is based on a creative view point and I admire his eye for uniquely chic, classy and rough clothing themes. I would love to hone in on the Egyptian era of dress, I would argue that Egyptians themes are elaborate and creatively matched to the divine expertise of design. The theme that I would like to present Kanye West is the era of which clothing would be described as elaborate and exhumes authority and power the Egyptians had. I want to present these recommendations because I respect the work of Kanye and would be thrilled to provide a new perspective of clothing designs. After strenuous research I
Pop culture has had a huge impact regarding this problem, whether it be in the music industry or fashion industry. Many ‘fashion’ designers find it okay to take designs from indigenous culture. Examples, are Junya Watanabe, a Japanese, designer created a collection that included African prints, hair styles, and Maasai beadwork (Gant). Maasai beadwork signifies different meanings to the African culture, having it displayed in a fashion show degrades the symbolic meaning it holds. Dsquared2, owned by two white men, were ‘inspired’ by Native American culture