If the same standards of alleged cultural appropriation were applied to ethnic communities for what has been adapted from european traditions the acknowledgements would never end.
And, elaborating that point, when do the acknowledgements begin and end? I wore that type of sandal in the 1970s, literally 50 years ago. Will it be required to make acknowledgements for centuries?
Thank you for your comment on this. I actually had a red version of this sandal in the late 90s or turn of the millennium. Back then I was obsessed with ethnic dress and always wanted to know what I was buying and the significance or story behind it. As far as “where’s the line” or “when do we ever stop” with demands like cultural acknowledgment, it comes down to history - if someone is appropriating or mis-appropriating something, do they already have a history of privilege, economic power, etc.? Luxury fashion houses have a disproportionate amount of privilege and power compared to the humble artisan communities those brands are inspired by. I remember when Marc Jacobs rolled his eyes at the scandal surrounding his dreadlocked models on the runway, countering that Black women appropriate white women’s hair all the time. While that’s true, he’s missing the history of Black women being ridiculed for their natural hair and pressured globally to adapt to Western or white beauty standards.
Ridiculous
If the same standards of alleged cultural appropriation were applied to ethnic communities for what has been adapted from european traditions the acknowledgements would never end.
And, elaborating that point, when do the acknowledgements begin and end? I wore that type of sandal in the 1970s, literally 50 years ago. Will it be required to make acknowledgements for centuries?
Thank you for your comment on this. I actually had a red version of this sandal in the late 90s or turn of the millennium. Back then I was obsessed with ethnic dress and always wanted to know what I was buying and the significance or story behind it. As far as “where’s the line” or “when do we ever stop” with demands like cultural acknowledgment, it comes down to history - if someone is appropriating or mis-appropriating something, do they already have a history of privilege, economic power, etc.? Luxury fashion houses have a disproportionate amount of privilege and power compared to the humble artisan communities those brands are inspired by. I remember when Marc Jacobs rolled his eyes at the scandal surrounding his dreadlocked models on the runway, countering that Black women appropriate white women’s hair all the time. While that’s true, he’s missing the history of Black women being ridiculed for their natural hair and pressured globally to adapt to Western or white beauty standards.