Fetishizing of Ethnic Cultures for a Western Audience

[nr9dream]

Maybe the discussion here has already moved beyond this point but…Using religious imagery in relation to issues of respect, art and freedom of expression seems a very relevant theme today, and is an especially current debate here in the Netherlands--also a very complex and inflammatory topic…I just wanted to add my 2 cents on this thread from a stylistic pt. of view:

If by ‘fetishizing’ is meant fascination with /and exploration of faraway cultures this is also very much part of our European heritage, and need not be viewed in a negative light. It has been a constant source of inspiration in the arts...Specifically for fashion, it would be interesting to trace the ethnic/folkloric influences in for example 20th century fashion: the influence from the ballets Russes, Paul Poiret etc. (maybe the thread exists already here?)

As for fashion today, it seems we are beyond the point of adopting exotic looks literally…references are blurred and mixed…In the best possible way this means the 'source' is placed in a new context to create something new and visually stimulating --worst examples could include the recent Cavalli printed underwear fiasco…This has possibly less to do with the exploitation of foreign cultures IMHO, than with the difference between inspired creation and pure commerce?

 

[Plastic'sWife]

I am glad someone started a thread about this topic... I am so upset to see celebs and skanks like Britney Spears wearing the Rosary just because they think it looks cute...
It means something to us Catholics, and for a sl*t like her to be wearing it as a fashion accessory is so offensive to me and frankly, makes me super mad...

I have worn the Rosary outisde of praying it, and I wear it because I know what it stands for...I believe firmly and faithfully in its usage and I wear it as a sign of my faith...
but I would never dream of wearing the Star of David, just because I think its 'cute' or goes with my outfit...

 

[shambles]

and for a sl*t like her to be wearing it as a fashion accessory is so offensive to me and frankly, makes me super mad...

I am sorry that it offends you, but that is really really really harsh. What about the culture of women? I don't think the word sl*t should be thrown around, especially when describing people we have never met.

 

[Plastic'sWife]

yes sorry... she is cheap... and I used the wrong word....

Pardon me TFS... this subject is very touchy with me...

 

[oceanharlot]

its ok. i agree in terms of not likeing people who do not represent a certain faith wearing an item from that faith in a not-so-nice manner. it really gets me when I see people disrespecting certain elements from my own religion for decorative purposes when they do not understand that by having this statue in their living room, they are IMO disrespecting an object that has significant spiritual value... its not just an object that looks nice on the mantle. to some people that object is a vital part of their life and spirituality...

i went to this guy's house last night, it was so beautiful. he had all these different musical instruments from around the world displayed in his living room. my friend picked one up to play it, and it was all out of tune, all confused, she looked at the guy questioningly, and he said, "oh i don't play them, they're just for show." we were asking him, oh, are you into music, playing guitar or something? he said no, he always wanted to learn, but just never picked one up. i still can't get over it.

 

[utopia]

^ you are forgiven plasticswife, these are sometimes touchy subjects (though I find the viewpoints expressed in this topic very interesting) and it is understandable that people will take them very personally and thus get quite emotional about it. with that said, it would be a good idea to be careful to refrain from making slanderous comments about individuals when discussing.

 

[softgrey]

it occurs to me that monseiur YSL was perhaps one of the first designers to really push this idea forward...
co-opting many ethnic garments and showing them on the runway...
ie- his african pieces, safari pieces, russian peasant blouses, morrocan tunics, etc...

and everyone basically considers him a genius...
so it can't be all bad...

 

[oceanharlot]

wow... amazing to go back and reread this thread. I've changed so much and in some ways, so little in the last 3 years. My thesis is on this subject in grad school btw.

 

[John_M.]

I hate when people use "fetish" to mean a general like of something. I feel the same way as when femmes use "sexy" to really mean "cute." Or on Myspace how people make the first comment on someone's Myspace page as "popping one's cherry." I wish most people would refrain from this. Anything related to culture is a harsh subject for me, so I'll try as best as I can to express my opinions without hurting anyone.

On to the issue of making these ethnic trends fashionable and what they really mean to people trying these out... I think we just have these for style. Like when a femme wears a necklace with these turquoise stones or whatever. Does that mean she's a proud (and I have Native American Indians in mind) Native American Indian? Maybe she has some Indian heritage. My great grandfather was a Cherokee, and I don't see anything mentioning he's a proud Cherokee. A lot of guys I know have these Japanese-style anime shirts. Does that mean they represent Japanese culture? No. I think in most peoples' minds, they don't really know or care if they are representing an ethnic culture or not. I consider myself cultured, but can you honestly tell me that any ethnic fashion I take up in shows that I know about a culture? Here's a big example of taking a certain culture's trends- the Bohemian style (say "Bohemian" as I hate using "Boho") of a few years ago. Did Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen represent Bohemian culture? Are they Bohemian themselves? I don't think so. It's just finding style in any clothes offered at stores and on celebrities.

I just think people want to come up with a look and style that looks great on them with little or no knowledge about a culture represented. You don't wear certain styles because you know their culture. You buy clothes of a certain ethnic culture for its looks. Since when has fashion come down to understanding culture? Oh! Here's another example- culottes (now called gaucho pants). A site I read talked about how these pants were thought of as being pirate pants. Would the many ladies who wore these resemble the gaucho cowboys of South America? No way at all. I think it comes down to fashion, not understanding culture. It's not like a clothing store will ask you to take a quick quiz or test before purchasing any kind of ethnic fashion. Like buying ethnic clothes carries the same weight as being asked for ID if you buy tobacco or liquor. I don't take the tough guy approach all the time, but I don't think most people care. Few will purchase anything ethnic and know all about the culture while claiming to be part of that culture. Some people would feel offended to see someone of a different culture dressed up and acting as someone FROM that culture stepping up to them, but I don't think there's too much weight to stay that all ethnic fashion should be banned unless you are from that culture. We're going to be too far from that day. It may as well be a battle that never ends with both sides of the issue losing in a draw. No winners... just two losers.

 

[gius]

^hum about being insulted.. i had a classmate once who has blond hair and he got these dreadlocks..and once he was out with some friends and he was laughed at by a few african ladies

frankly for me i just like the concept of beauty
appreciating something by how it looks, the design, the colours & the way it's made --whether or not you understand the culture it's from is not the most important thing.. but it can add to the piece's value
anyhow, it's impossible to please everyone

 

[saann]

^agree, just because you don't belong to the culture it emerged from doesn't mean that you can't enjoy it

I remember that Matthew Williamsons SS08 collection caused quite a stirr with Ethiopians, since they felt like he wasn't inspired by their tradtional suit but instead had copied it
here is an article:

The Art of Creative Design or Cultural Theft in Fashion World?

A London celebrity designer, Matthew Williamson, gets his inspiration from several traditionally ethnic designs. Fair enough. No harm in nicking a bead here and a print there. But is it ethical/legal/fair to copy a country's traditional dress and claim as if its your creation? Or is this going to be the next patent right fight Ethiopia is going to go through after Starbucks coffee?
Matthew Williamson Spring-Summer 2008


Being inspired is one thing, but shamelessly copying something is outright theft. Sorry. On a more serious note, if this trend continues, would it have an impact on the livelihood of hundreds of Ethiopians whose livelihood depends on making the Abesha kemis?

Handicraft is therefore considered to be one of the most important and widely spread occupations of most Ethiopians next to Agriculture. As part of the handicrafts heritage, Ethiopia has diverse traditional handloom products. This sub sector provides large-scale employment and is an important source of livelihood for a large number of people in urban and rural areas. Based on the data collected in Year 2002 by the Central Statistical Authority (CSA) on cottages and handicrafts, it was revealed that there were a total of 211,842 handloom/weaving textiles enterprises in the country in various forms of ownership though benefits accrued from this sub sector was much below than expected.​

It will be nice if Matthew uses his fashion-weight to introduce the work of Ethiopian weavers and use their original product thereby boosting their meager income. Now that will be fair trade! (Thanks Selam)

from addislive

 

[Fontenrose]

How about Rachael Ray and her casual keffiyeh that caused a bit of trouble...

Dunkin Donuts has pulled an ad featuring Rachael Ray wearing a black and white silk paisley scarf after right-wing bloggers like MichelleMalkin complained that it looked like a keffiyeh and questioned whether people should boycott DD because of it. Does Malkin have donuts for brains? Seriously, did she really think that Rachael Ray or any of the other douches who wear keffiyeh-esque scarves as a fashion statement are Islamic jihad sympathizers? Dunkin Donuts issued a statement saying, "Absolutely no symbolism was intended. However, given the possibility of misperception, we are no longer using the commercial."

jezebel

 

[softgrey]

Does Malkin have donuts for brains? Seriously, did she really think that Rachael Ray or any of the other douches who wear keffiyeh-esque scarves as a fashion statement are Islamic jihad sympathizers?

...

seriously!!!...

those are great examples guys ..thanks for posting them...

ocean...some of the old thread are AMAZING to read ...
really thoughtful and interesting topics and comments by some of our old regulars...


thanks for this great topic ...which will always be interesting...

 

[oceanharlot]

I remembered these Jean Paul Gaultier adverts using Maori facial tattoos (moko) as makeup, thought it relevant to this discussion.

 

[Harpy]

I'm a first generation Canadian of Indian birth.

My wardrobe has many pieces of clothing that do not hail from my 'native' culture. For example; shirts, pants, sweaters, ties etc. I think people assume that these articles of clothing (those that are from Anglo-Saxon, if not European, roots) are the 'norm'. There is a lot of talk about wearing the clothing of 'other' cultures without understanding them. I think, especially in respect to clothing, it implies that there is a certain lack of power on behalf of the 'other' cultures. We (as in members of an Anglo or European cultures) take foreign influences and adapt them to suit our temperaments. The very same happens in other cultures. They are also absorbing our material culture and adapting it to suit their psyche.

Although, with that being said I find the Gaultier pictures very interesting. The Fashion Industry seems to be willing to adopt the insignias of other cultures and place them upon, excuse me for being so racially blunt, white models. After all how many Maori models do you know who walk the Gaultier runway? It is... interesting.

I think the argument of 'appreciating the beauty of the image, irrespective of origin' is very legit. Especially in fashion. It's just clothing, after all.

 

[Spike413]

That's a great example oceanharlot, especially the way the images combine the tattoos with Scottish-infused clothing.

In a way though it's not totally unrelated since Celtic tribes decorated their faces with different types of warpaint.

 

[Fontenrose]

I sometimes tease older people with references to "ethnic English" which they consider an oxymoron.

Of course plaid is ethnic Scottish, widely appropriated, but then the Scots went everywhere. In Scotland the plaids are still expanding. I saw the Sikh plaid yesterday, modeled by the proud Sikh owner of a Scottish plaid store.

Still, I would be careful using local native Haida designs in anything but the lightest reference.

This is really brilliant however:

[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica,sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Brian Jungen is best known for his Prototypes for New Understanding (1998-2005), a series of masks in which deconstructed Nike Air Jordan sneakers are reassembled to resemble Northwest Coast Aboriginal artifacts. Jungen's gesture of cutting up one of the most sought-after consumer items of the late 20th century is a dramatic one. By reassembling the pieces of sneaker into Aboriginal masks, Jungen comments on how indigenous culture is commercialized and consumed. Jungen also demonstrates how these objects have more in common than just their trade value. The classic color combination of black, red and white as seen in the Air Jordans is prevalent in many Northwest Coast native motifs. Jungen‚s Prototypes question cultural authenticity and authority while simultaneously comparing the handmade and the mass-produced. [/SIZE][/FONT]

not quite fashion, but it does involve shoes.

image/article source| people.tribe.net

 

[gius]

fontenrose please remember to credit images you post or they have to be deleted
part of the tFS community rules

 

[dizzytacks]

i am an Anthropology student and strong advocate of transnationalism!
"fetishization" is definetely the wrong word...

 

[Fontenrose]

oops, photo is from people.tribe.net