Why Sézane, Isabel Marant, Gucci and more faced outrage for cultural appropriation

Plus, how to avoid cultural appropriation and what to keep in mind when you communicate cultural inspiration

Welcome to another issue of The Crisps, your weekly brief on anti-greenwashing and honest fashion communication. In this issue, we look again at cultural appropriation, how to avoid it, and what to keep in mind if you want to communicate cultural inspiration.

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Let’s keep this intro short and savory, shall we? Last week, we talked about the basics of cultural appropriation, explained what a respectful collaboration entails, and how greenwashing and cultural appropriation intersect. You can find it here, in case you missed it.

One of the best ways to understand and learn is through examples. So we will dig into some cases where fashion brands were facing backlash for cultural appropriation and will explain what to keep in mind if you want to communicate a collection for which you drew inspiration from a different culture.

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How to avoid cultural appropriation

Do you want to draw inspiration from different cultures and celebrate them? Consider these things before you get going.

🔸 Educate yourself

• Invest time to deeply study the culture you're drawing inspiration from.

• Understand the history, unique struggles, and sacrifices of that culture.

• Reach out to community members, gain insights directly from them, and seek permission before using elements from their culture.

🔸 Collaborate respectfully

• Collaborate with artisans or representatives from the culture you are inspired by.

• Ensure that you're providing fair compensation and due credit.

• Prioritize using authentic materials crafted by the culture in question.

• Avoid knock-offs or superficial representations of cultural symbols and textiles.

🔸 Avoid misusing symbols

• Stay away from using religious or national symbols that have significant importance to groups of people.

• Understand the deep meanings behind these symbols and why they might not be appropriate for commercial use.

🔸 Ensure mutual benefits

• When integrating cultural elements into your fashion line or collection, ensure that it's beneficial for the culture sharer.

• The communities you're drawing inspiration from should see tangible benefits from the commercialization of your products.

🔸 Collaborate with ethical entities

• Partner with organizations that advocate for sustainable and ethical practices in fashion.

• Leverage their expertise and resources to ensure your brand remains committed to authenticity and sustainability.

As the fashion industry and consumers grow more aware of social and environmental issues, it’s essential for brands to be proactive. Ensure that every aspect of your brand – from cultural appreciation to sustainability – is genuine and respectful.

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Cultural appropriation examples by fashion brands and what to learn from them

Let’s look at some examples of how fashion brands have been accused of cultural appropriation. And you’ll see that this issue is not new.

Sézane

What happened: In January 2022 the French fashion house faced backlash after parts of their team staged a photo shoot on the streets of the Teotitlán del Valle, in the state of Oaxaca. They photographed an elderly indigenous woman in the Zapotec community, put her in a green sweater from Sézane, and animated her to dance to the 1968 Mary Hopkin song Those Were The Days. (You can look at the video here.)