In the commonplace of cultural appropriation in fashion, Marc Jacobs Spring/Summer 2015 line premiered with his models sporting “mini buns.” Revived recently by White haircare site “ManeAddicts,”, these “mini buns” look conspicuously like bantu knots. While racism in fashion may seem like a recent conversation, the erasure of Black women (and many people of color) from magazines to runways is as old as the artform. From durags to baby hairs, we’ve seen shamed Black aesthetics repurposed as “vogue” for White people.
This week two hashtags have been clapping-back to White millennial cultural appropriation:
#MyCultureisNotCouture speaks to how African and Black cultural icons are stolen and sold as high fashion.
when Urban Outfitters appropriated Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Somali clothing w/ no rep still #MyCultureIsNotCouture pic.twitter.com/EEwSVDJdjn
— mango (@lunarnomad) May 27, 2015
When the most iconic face for cornrows is a white woman named Bo Derek. #MyCultureIsNotCouture pic.twitter.com/c7i2q7Vxeo — Boqor Riya. (@HausOfRiya) May 27, 2015
Ethiopian tailors only make $10 a month while Matthew Williamson makes millions. #MyCultureIsNotCouture pic.twitter.com/3TWAduh3YK
— dog hugger (@shesjustbemni) May 27, 2015
So I opened up a Steve Madden catalog and this is what I see. #MyCultureIsNotCouture pic.twitter.com/gRL055fnYp — Earth (@TeeShotMe) May 27, 2015
#IWillNotShare undoes the argument that Black cultural items should be available to all people although Black folk are persecuted for having them.
#IWillNotShare because when Beyoncé posted a picture of herself with her natural lips, they said she was “trying Kylie Jenner lips”
— King Latifah (@Chrissssssw) May 26, 2015
#IWillNotShare because we “dig” @KylieJenner‘s dreads but question @ciara on whether she should keep hers pic.twitter.com/BamoiCCgOC
— Beyoncé (@Miss_Ethiopiaa) May 27, 2015
#IWillNotShare my language that will be used as a tool against me by those who don’t respect me or my people.
— Suleiman (@Payitforward87) May 27, 2015
#IWillNotShare because you take our music, hairstyles, and culture, yet our skin color is still a crime.
— The Tragic Actress (@_Miaya) May 26, 2015
#IWillNotShare because we invented rock n roll yet whites consider elvis to be the king of the genre. pic.twitter.com/FFpubcNFmB
— Mr. M (@AnansiTheGriot) May 26, 2015
what do you think about these hashtags? tell us in the comments and don’t forget to subscribe to our weekly digest Below.
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