Cultural Identities or Lack Thereof in Luxury Fashion Print and Digital campaigns

Marc Jacobs, dreads, and an abundance of cultural appropriation! All eyes on

Gucci�s appropriation of the Far East! While there is no patent of symbols and
styles from cultures foreign to Western influences, the most expensive, upscale
designers in the world, are taking their inspirations from some of the most
underrepresented cultures in society. However, cultural inspirations from Eastern
and Black cultures need to be clearly recognized for its original origin. This
essay will further discuss the issue of cultural appropriation in modern western
luxury.

Cultural appropriation is happening in luxury fashion, from one season to the next.
Even though designers do not give credit to minority cultures that they often draw
inspiration from, the groups become related cultures and are more socially
acceptable to wear dreadlocks and turbans, whether in the workplace, schools, day
to day life outside the house. Designers are appropriating cultures and marking
them popular, but they should give credit for their inspirations instead of using
cultural styles for financial gain or praise.

In September 2016, American fashion designer, Marc Jacobs featured many white
models wearing dreadlocks in his Spring/Summer 2017 fashion show and digital
campaign. Often, dreadlocks and other natural hairstyles have been seen as
unprofessional but when designers do it, particularly upscale, white designers, the
look is then normalized and trendy, thus influencing the culture as a whole. Marc
Jacobs did not credit whom this hairstyle is historically seen on or the cultural
identity that it belongs to, yet he uses the style for commercial gain resulting in
cultural appropriation.

The luxury fashion industry is known for its exclusivity and awe of setting the
best trends and prints season after season, attracting customers globally. With
that, comes inspiration of colors, patterns and cultures from all over the world.
But for whom? Even though communities of color have always had fashion, luxury
fashion in the western world, got its start in the 19th century by Charles Worth
that has been traditionally catered to an upper class white audience. What defines
luxury fashion is the high price tag and use of premium materials like silks and
furs. In recent years many luxury fashion designers have been in heavy spotlight
for cultural appropriation and lack of representation in digital and print
campaigns not just in the US market, but in Europe as well. Cultural appropriation
is using cultural artifacts, symbols, clothing and other indicators, outside of
one�s own identity or culture for their own benefit or gain.