Somewhere between influencing and appreciation lies appropriation.The Integration and amalgamation of different global cultures has helped us build,grow and progress as a society.Larner, Molloy and Goodrum (2007, pp.381-400). in reference to global fashion, state that the borrowing of symbolic capital underlines the need to think more carefully about the geographic specificity of the material, political,and symbolic processes associated with the globalization and the culturaleconomy. Therefore in terms of cross culture consumption within the fashion industry,institutions and designers now more than ever need to be more aware on the impact the have on the cultural capital and social capitalof the cultural identity that they are choosing to adopt …show more content…
Scadifi (2005) discussed it in an article with Jezebel magazine,as "Taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge,culturalexpressions, or artefacts from someone else's culture without permission...lt's most likely to be harmful when the source community is a minority group that has been oppressed or exploited in other ways or when the object of appropriation is particularly sensitive." This idea of taking property -almost stealing Without permission again plays with these themes of hierarchy and power.A show of strength,as if to say it is ok to take what it is not ours because we have the power to do so and in Valentino's case the money? It is also intriguing to observe the extent to which Power and Authority ironically become the front lining concepts in how politics is informed, managed and enlisted.Consequently, this then has an effect on the way people live and interact with each other. In the case of minority groups the African Diaspora,with its' sensitive history of colonialism and oppression, tends to become a victim of misappropriation because some also view it as the weaker or lesser culture.Thus appropriation tends to become problematic and detrimentalto the individual or …show more content…
This obvious rejection to introduce and genuinely celebrate other conventions and ideologies of beauty on the catwalk make this idea of hierarchy even more apparent.As well as that,this is also supported by Kondo (1997,p.l6) expressing that the fashion and cosmetics industries promote aesthetic ideals that often oppressively reinscribe normative codes of gender,race, class,and sexuality. Fashion's Planned obsolescence is inseparable from complicity
In my paper, I will utilize the book Where Am I Wearing? by Kelsey Timmerman and the textbook Cultural Anthropology: A Toolkit for a Global Age by Kenneth J. Guest to examine globalization in the context of the clothing industry. Globalization of the clothing industry
UK, The Week. “Cultural Appropriation: What Is It and Why Is It Wrong?” The Week UK,
Cultural appropriation is a sociological concept which views the adoption or of elements of one culture by members of a different culture as a largely negative phenomenon. It has a negative connotation because cultural appropriation also refers to a particular power dynamic in which members of a dominant culture take elements from a culture of people who have been systematically oppressed by that dominant group. In Sunita Puri’s article “Cultural Identity vs. Ethnic Fashions”, she divulges in the topic of cultural appropriation, and uses ethnic and pathetic appeals to establish her credibility as an Indian American who can speak on behalf of her people to convince non-Indians to stop using the Bindi as a fashion statement. She brings forth personal experiences and examples from pop-culture and explains why appropriation is offensive.
Have you ever taken offense when you saw someone dressed in traditional garments from your culture? In America, this happens quite often. Some people may not recognize it and some refuse to acknowledge that it even exists. Cultural appropriation is a situation in which a dominant culture steals aspects of a minority culture’s, such as hair, clothing styles, and music.
Cultural Appropriation and Its Effects On Other Cultures This past Halloween I dressed up as a China Doll; in my black traditional Asian dress, white painted face, rosy pink cheeks, black eyeliner, and my hair held up in a bun with chopsticks. I originally thought that this costume would be rather attractive and fun. However, I began to question myself after a young lady approached me and asked, "Are you suppose to be an Asian person? " I immediately replied, "No, I am a beautiful China Doll".
Fashion in the 21st century is a big business, as its production employs millions of people and generates billions of dollars in revenue. Fashion has for the past century been, and is still today, used as an indicator of social change and progress, as it changes with the social norms of the society and the political changes of the world (Finkelstein 3). Works Cited Finkelstein, Joanne. A.S.A. & Co. Fashion: An Introduction to Fashion. New York: New York University Press, 1998.
...o contextual influences and past experiences. Therefore it is almost impossible to pre-empt the ways in which others will perceive you. Over time ideas will change and therefore alter the ways in which we look back on past clothing choices. Whilst symbolism in fashion may no longer be subject to laws as it was in the 14th century or defined by strict social rules in the 17th century, the clothes we wear are still today subject to imposed social ideals. Apart from distinguishing one status group from another, a style of dress may also aid group cohesiveness, provide the individual with an identity and a feeling of belonging, and communicate the wearer’s attitudes and interests. The ways in which we interpret others and present ourselves for interpretation is the only true way that we can be individual. Symbolism in clothing may not seem as obvious or important nowadays as it was in times of extreme social bigotry, but it is still highly prevalent and has remained one of the most effective ways to project our desired image to those around us. ‘The state of a person’s clothes is synonymous with self respect and is a sign of responsibility’ (www. Pemberley.com/janeinfo/vebleis7.html)
Cultural appropriation is a recent norm that has now become common place in society. Due to the globalisation of media and the free access to information via television, public broadcasting, and the internet, different aspects from worldly cultures have now been used in fashion trends, music and film. By ‘adopting’ these aspects, it is
Fashion plays an important role in the lives of billions all over the world; people, as part of a status craving society, turn to “fashion capitals” of the world for ways in which to dress and carry themselves. New York, Milan, and Paris are leaders among this fierce industry that the world lusts after. Fashion can speak volumes about ones personality, or also about the condition the world is in at the time. In France, fashion changed rapidly and feverously as the times changed.
...enture into overseas market comes with expectations as well as uncertainties due to unfamiliarity. Charles and Keith, the fashion retailer, has to understand clearly that what appeals in one market might not be accepted in the others and this is almost the same for all industries. Thus, a thorough research on cultural background has to be done before entering an unfamiliar ground.
Cultural Appropriation: Not a Myth Cultural appropriation is one of the most controversial and talked about issues in current social conversation. Almost everyone seems to have thoughts on it, but many find it difficult to give concise arguments about what specific acts constitute appropriation, and which ones do not. Partly, this is because many people who have a voice in determining what is generally considered cultural appropriation are not the ones being appropriated. This is also why there is a social argument about whether cultural appropriation is real or even problematic. It is impossible to truly grasp the seriousness and expansiveness of cultural appropriation when your culture is not getting appropriated.
The act of consumption has been the primary means through which individuals in society participate and transform culture. Culture is not something already made which we consume; culture is what society creates through practices of everyday life and consumption involves the making of culture. When attempting to understand certain acts of consumption it is necessary to observe the relations involved in production and consumption. Through technological innovation, the fashion industry has been expanded to play a prominent role in consumers’ purchasing decisions and styles are becoming less difficult to obtain. With the expansion of department stores and shopping being viewed as a leisurely activity, this has continued to transform the act of fashion consumerism. The functional interests feature a rational attachment to clothing items. Symbolic benefits involve status and prestige to fulfill the achievement for positive self-esteem. Further benefits include a provided experience for the individual consumer and the created use of imagery and desire used to enrich one’s life.
Clothing has always been an important part of society, with evidence from the earliest human civilizations. In history, climate, religion and political factors played a role in the fabrication, styling and even color of the garments that people wore. Today, the fashion industry is multi-faceted, and while climate and religion are still some factors in how we dress, there are many more influences in what we choose to wear. Time and time again, designers reference historical styles and push them into modern trends. Subcultures illustrate how a particular way of dressing can transform into a lifestyle. Ethnic fashion ties in with a specific culture’s values and beliefs. By looking at clothing in other societies around the world, as well as the many global subcultures, we can learn a lot about the depth and complexity of the members that make this world colorful and diverse.
To begin with, I shall look at what fashion is; it is a currently popular style or practice involving clothing, footwear or accessories. It mostly refers to the current trends in looks and dressing style of a person (Cumming 234). In most cases, fashion is confusedly related to costumes; when a person talks of fashion they are seen to mean fashion in terms of textile. Fashion is seen to originate from the Western world and it is copied by other places. In this paper, we shall look at how fashion affects lifestyles and the group of people who are affected most. The paper further investigates how media is used to transmit fashion from one region to the other. Although it has been seen to affect people’s lives many people have different perspectives on fashion and dressing.
In this essay I will argue that, South Africa no longer needs to look to the rest of the world for fashion inspiration. We have a rich culture and historical background which is the main influence of our current fashion and we wear it proudly. The essay will be structured in the form of an argument that will present evidence for the above claim and also present a counter argument outlining objections to the main claim.