Cultural Appropriation news and archive

Mexican authorities accuse Adidas of cultural appropriation

Officials in the southern Mexico state of Oaxaca accused sportswear giant Adidas of cultural appropriation after the fashion brand debuted sandals similar to a traditional design from the region. The Oaxaca Slip-On sandals were created by American fashion designer Willy Chavarria, who has Mexican heritage, but drew pushback from both state and...

Culture

Minnetonka launches reclamation collaborative dedicated to uplifting Native artistry

Minnesota-based footwear company Minnetonka has launched a new initiative, the Reclamation Collaborative, dedicated to uplifting Native artistry, continuing industry education, and assisting in redefining Indigenous representation in fashion. As a fourth-generation, family-owned brand, the initiative was created to support and honor the Native...

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Business

Prada admits Kolhapuri inspiration, proposes co-branding discussions with MACCIA

Luxury fashion house Prada has officially confirmed in a letter sent to the Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (MACCIA), that sandals showcased in its recent men’s fashion show, which bore a striking resemblance to the traditional Indian Kolhapuri sandal, were indeed inspired by the iconic footwear. Prada has now proposed...

Fashion

Prada criticised in India over sandal design seen as appropriation

Prada has come under criticism in India after unveiling a sandal design during Milan Fashion Week that closely resembles the traditional Kolhapuri chappal, a handcrafted leather slipper with origins in 12th-century Maharashtra. Images of the braided leather footwear sparked backlash from Indian artisans and lawmakers, who accused the brand of...

Fashion

Kyrgyzstan urges respect for heritage amid row over Russian 'appropriation'

Kyrgyzstan has called for respect for its "historical and cultural heritage" after a Russian clothing brand used traditional Kyrgyz designs and claimed copyright over them, prompting accusations of "cultural appropriation". The Central Asian country is closely allied with Moscow, but has taken steps to reinforce its national identity in recent...

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Culture

Festival fashion takes a political turn as Wireless implements cultural sensitivity dress code

The summer music festival season, long a beacon of sartorial freedom and self-expression, is witnessing a significant shift as organizers grapple with issues of cultural appropriation. London's Wireless Festival, set to take place in Finsbury Park from 12 to 14 July, has introduced a dress code that eschews concerns of modesty in favour of...

Fashion

Romania faces down Vuitton for 'stealing' its beloved blouse

Vaideeni - Villagers in Vaideeni at the foot of Romania's Carpathian mountains are fuming at French luxury brand Louis Vuitton for "stealing" the design of their traditional blouse. Maria Gioanca, 69, one of two dozen women who still hand sew the black-and-white garment in the village, told AFP she "won't let the costume be stolen" for fancy...

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Fashion

Fashion and travel; a love story for the ages

The eye has to travel,” said the former Vogue editor and empress of fashion, Diana Vreeland. In 1966 she famously flew her team to a snowy Japanese mountain range along with fifteen trunks of clothes for five weeks to shoot model Veruschka dressed in fur for the magazine at a rumored cost of 1 million dollars. It was an unprecedented gesture...

Fashion

Ralph Lauren accused of appropriating Mexican Indigenous designs

The head of a Mexican cultural affairs commission and wife of the country's president on Thursday accused US fashion brand Ralph Lauren of plagiarizing Indigenous designs. "Hey Ralph: we already realized that you really like Mexican designs," Beatriz Gutierrez wrote on social media. "However, by copying these designs you're committing...

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Business

Shein recalls plagiarized garment for which it was once again accused of cultural appropriation

Last week, the Chinese firm Shein was accused of plagiarism and cultural appropriation by the Mexican Ministry of Culture, because on the website of this fast fashion giant you could find a flowered blouse practically identical to a traditional huipil embroidered in 2017 by the handcrafted clothing brand YucaChulas, which was the first to...

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Culture|BACKGROUND

Cultural appropriation in fashion: what is it and can it be prevented?

Cultural appropriation: The term has been used more and more in recent years, but the practice of cultural appropriation has been around for much longer. Kunstmuseum Den Haag zooms in on the phenomenon in the new exhibition 'Global Wardrobe - the worldwide fashion connection', but the subject is also often discussed during talks about diversity...

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Business

Major fashion brands accused of cultural appropriation in Mexico

Mexico has blasted major clothing brands Zara, Anthropologie and Patowl for using patterns and other elements of Mexican indigenous textiles in their collections without permission, the ministry of culture said Friday. The ministry has sent letters to the three labels asking them to publicly clarify on what grounds "the collective property" of...