Cultural Appreciation or Appropriation?
In the 45th episode of Why Care? I had the great pleasure of speaking to the multi-talented Sarah Mulindwa. Sarah has a colourful and fascinating career, merging both her background in nursing and her passion for fashion to become a big advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In the episode, we talk about career changes, her work in sexual health education, and health challenges like menopause in the workplace, among other things.
During our conversation, we touched on the controversial topic of cultural appropriation within fashion, a discourse which has been hotly discussed in recent years. Let’s explore it further in the context of DEI.
What is cultural appropriation?
Cultural appropriation is when elements of an underrepresented culture, like its symbols or traditions, are usurped without understanding or respecting their significance, often for personal or financial benefit, or aesthetic value. This leads to the commodification of sacred or meaningful aspects of a culture and exists both within fashion and outside of it.
As Sarah clarified in the episode, this is not to say that cultures cannot be shared, only that doing so while ejecting the original peoples from the process is harmful.
So….
Why is cultural appropriation harmful?
Cultural appropriation perpetuates racist systems where marginalised cultures are simultaneously both exploited and sidelined. Not only does this prevent brands from conveying the full essence of the tradition and thus take away from its artistic integrity, but in some cases it even contributes to historical erasure. A common example of this is cornrows, which were historically used by Black people who were forced into slavery in the US in order to convey messages in secret. Many people feel that imitating this tradition is to disregard and rewrite the stories of the people it belongs to, particularly when it is done without acknowledging or involving them, as this would be to capitalise on their pain.
Not only is cultural appropriation historically compromising, but it also inhibits authentic expression and damages consumers' trust in brands, both of which are driving values in the fashion world. We cannot extract people from clothes. Rather, when we blend the two we are able to innovatively connect with and learn about one another.
How can we appreciate a culture without appropriating it?
First, transparency and accountability at the top are essential. Brands need to take responsibility for understanding the cultural origins of the elements they draw from. This means educating themselves and their teams on the history, significance, and struggles behind the symbols they want to incorporate. Publicly acknowledging where their inspiration comes from and giving credit to the cultures involved is essential.
Beyond this, forming ethical partnerships with local designers and artisans is a powerful way to honour cultural tradition. One large brand that does this brilliantly is Nike. Their N7 collection ‘Center[es] Indigenous Youth’, and ‘is designed to reinforce ownership over the rebellion, self-expression and, most importantly, the self-empowerment they demand-and deserve’. This copy is taken directly from their website. Nike have also collaborated with Indigenous artists like Mi’kmaq First Nations designer, Lauren Thomas, in the creative process.
These are two approaches which allow brands to appreciate cultures and steer clear of appropriating them, although there remains much more that they can do.
How can Avenir help?
At Avenir, we offer an Inclusive Leadership Programme, which provides you with the support you need to embody your brand values authentically and sensitively.
My new book, Beyond Discomfort: Why inclusive leadership is so hard (and what you can do about it) is a great tool for learning how to harness discomfort as a catalyst for positive change and greater returns. You can get your hands on a copy of the book here. It is also available as an audiobook. Happy reading!