Just as artists, musicians and writers are influenced by the world around them, so are fashion designers. The fashion industry has a long history of taking inspiration from and modifying the work of other designers. But they also look elsewhere for creative ideas and often incorporate elements from cultures around the world.
In most cases this goes unnoticed, whether the style is adopted or not. But sometimes creators cross the line between inspiration and appropriation when something important to a particular group is used in an unwelcome, inappropriate, or harmful way, and without permission or reward.
There is a long history of this among clothing designers. And Victoria’s Secret is once again at the top of the list. At their recent fashion show in Shanghai, lingerie-clad models strutted down the catwalk wearing a variety of indigenous-inspired regalia and accessories.
The so-called Nomadic Adventure lingerie features “prints, silhouettes and beading techniques inspired by indigenous African cultures,” says a Victoria’s Secret press release. “An opportunity for beautiful, bold colors and tribal patterns that incorporate distinctive animal prints from African wildlife. Rich in color, sexy and elegant.
The show airs on CBS November 28. On the Teen Vogue site, writer Avery Matera summed it up well: “This year’s theme was cultural appropriation. » This is an all too common situation.
A little souvenir for cultural appropriation?
In 1999, in northern Canada, members of the Pauktuutit Inuit community became concerned when New York designer Donna Karan attempted to use the amauti as the basis for a new clothing line. The amauti is a windproof and waterproof parka common in the eastern Arctic and distinguished by its design and construction.
(Ansgar Walk), CC BY
THE Pauktuutit Inuit Women’s Collective subsequently, they began to explore ways to protect their collective knowledge. Their goal is to develop a registry of amauti makers and traditional amauti models, then implement a trademark or other mark of authenticity. In response to a letter-writing campaign and other efforts, Donna Karan has never released her own parka.
Urban Outfitters has long marketed clothing under the “Navajo” name. The Navajo tribe has failed to prevent much of the retailer’s use of the Navajo name.
And in a particularly egregious example in 2015, KTZ, a UK-based fashion company, marketed a clothing line including a parka (and other products) displaying traditional Inuit designs derived from a photograph of the parka of an Inuit shaman. Following complaints from the shaman’s great-granddaughter, who said the design was sacred and used without permission, KTZ pulled the clothing line..
When such situations arise, the public reaction is usually strong. The product is withdrawn from the market and the designers say they have learned their lesson. In many cases, the company says it was trying to honor indigenous culture, but promises to be more respectful in the future.
(ASSOCIATED PRESS/Amanda Schwab)
But at Victoria’s Secret, someone has a short memory.
This isn’t the first time Victoria’s Secret has been criticized for cultural appropriation. Five years ago, Native Americans and others caused an outcry over a model wearing a feathered headdress on the runway. In response, a VS spokesperson said: “We are sorry that the Native American headdress in our fashion show upset some people… The outfit will be removed from distribution.»
Why is this important?
Appropriation vs Appreciation
The line between appropriation and appreciation is sometimes obvious, but not always. Context is essential.
Human societies around the world have a long history of borrowing from one another, with ideas and technologies circulating across time and space. The Romans copied the Greeks. Many of the staples of the Western diet (corn, beans, tomatoes, potatoes) were originally domesticated by indigenous people. Classical Greek architecture served as inspiration for the British Museum and countless other buildings. Jazz comes from African and other sources. There is generally no harm in such loans.
As an archaeological anthropologist whose career is very heritage focused, I draw the line when the use of an aspect of a person’s heritage is used without permission, or in an inappropriate or unwelcome manner, causing cultural harm , spiritual or economic.
The harm is particularly severe for indigenous peoples who, due to the loss of their lands, language and sovereignty, have had so little control over their own affairs in colonizing countries like Canada, the United States and Australia. Furthermore, legal conventions such as copyright, patents and trademarks are rarely applicable to the protection of their heritage.
Harms include:
• Decreased respect for the sacred
• Cultural particularity is commercialized
• Inappropriate or dangerous uses of special or sacred symbols
• Loss of artistic control
• Threats to authenticity
• Loss of livelihood
Indigenous heritage is not in the public domain
What constitutes “heritage”? In Western society, heritage essentially concerns things and places of historical value. But a broader definition is added.
Heritage refers to the knowledge, customs, practices, stories, songs and drawings, transmitted between generations, that define or contribute to the identity, history, worldview and well-being of people. ‘a person or group.
Heritage is therefore complex, culturally variable and very nuanced. There are substantial differences between Western and indigenous societies. For many Indigenous people, heritage is closely linked to every other facet of their lives.
A contemporary t-shirt bearing an ancient rock art image depicting a supernatural being may endanger the wearer because, from an indigenous perspective, that being may be embodied in the design.
In other words, there is no distinction between the tangible and the intangible. And there may be little difference between the object itself and the information, stories, and other values that accompany it.
A spiritual place cannot be separated from the stories and experiences associated with it. Ancestral beings can be part of this world or another dimension.
It is understandable that it is difficult to understand the often complex aspects of non-Western heritage. This is knowledge generally held by indigenous peoples or anthropologists. But there have been concerted efforts to protect and respect indigenous heritage through public education, particularly regarding the appropriation of indigenous heritage.
Precise knowledge is available
The website Indigenous creditsdeveloped and maintained by Dr. Adriene Keene, an Indigenous researcher, is an excellent source of information on this topic.
The Intellectual Property Issues in Cultural Heritage (IPinCH) projectwhich I led for eight years, has also produced a wide range of resources to help educate researchers, policy makers and the public to help them make more informed decisions regarding Indigenous cultural heritage and intellectual property.
On our website, you’ll find academic reports, community resources, nearly 100 videos, podcasts, and more that help identify and explain how and why issues of cultural appropriation occur, what social harms can be , cultural or economic and how they can be avoided.
Our blog series, “Credit (?) of the month” looking for interesting examples and thoughtful essays on what and when something is “appropriation,” “cultural borrowing,” or something else. The answer is not always clear or simple; this is why we keep a question mark in the title of our series.
(Handout)
Indigenous people are proud of their heritage and want to share much of it, but on their own terms. They want foreigners to have precise knowledge of their way of life, past and present. But some items are not meant to be shared. And this must be respected.
Many consumers are attracted to the heritage and lifestyles of indigenous peoples. But it is not always easy to discern what is appropriate and what is not. There are various sources today that help raise awareness about cultural appropriation.
But there is no longer any excuse for Victoria’s Secret, Urban Outfitters and others to continue acting unethically and socially irresponsible, especially when they have already been caught in the act.
This is the perfect time for us to move forward and walk away from this situation and discuss with each other how best to avoid such mistakes in the future. Moving forward, I’ve created a summary of the IPinCH guide for designers and marketers: Think before you take ownership.
