The influence of Black culture has played a pivotal role in the evolution of fashion but often, cultural appropriation has overshadowed the much-deserved appreciation. Trends come and go before the new ones take over and the old ones go out without any historical acknowledgment. There have been several instances where White designers have borrowed inspiration from the Black community and have failed to give the credit where it’s due. Hence giving into stereotypes and marginalization resulting in a lack of cultural celebration. This is when the line between Cultural Appropriation and Appreciation gets blurred.
From oversized clothes, sneakers, and tracksuits to bucket hats, African prints, and bodycon dresses have found their way from Black culture into high fashion despite which the collaborations of the fashion industry with individuals from the Black community have stayed limited, such as Dapper Dan, Virgil Abloh, and Naomi Campbell to name some. The fashion industry has been criticized for its lack of inclusivity for a long time now. While cornrows, durags, and deadlock are now being seen on the runway, the models wearing them are not always Black. Representation of the community on runways is minimal along with the acknowledgment of their historical and cultural context. When Black models walk the runway, they are not only representing their culture but also embracing themselves, and challenging the norm.
The line between appropriation and appreciation needs to be addressed. Appreciation brings in the concept of respect, significance, and celebration of cultures that were once colonized and overshadowed by the weight of White Supremacy. Collaboration, representation, fair compensation, and crediting across cultures can bring about much-needed change. The fashion industry needs to promote ethnicity, morality, inclusivity, and authenticity by providing Black designers and models the platform to represent themselves and their culture to encourage a thorough comprehension of their culture and inspirations.
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