Cultural Appropriation In Fashion

1196 Words5 Pages

Appropriation is the act of borrowing and changing the meaning of cultural products, images, slogans and elements as well as reusing existing elements to create new works and meanings. Many artists believe that in borrowing existing images or elements of imagery, they are able to recreate the idea as it is now placed within a new concept. This essay will discuss how appropriation has been used in cultural and social contexts in order to create controversy and sell products, as well as be a form of expression.

Pop culture often uses brash ways when trying to provide interest in society. As humans we are constantly wanting more and are never fully satisfied without entertainment, thus in order to meet these high demands many often turn to cultural appropriation as a void of entertainment. Cultural appropriation feeds off our …show more content…

We are constantly looking at the fashion industry for new trends, fashions and ideas in order to help us dress on a daily basis. Using traditional clothing from certain cultures and incorporating them into fashion is a frequently done. It does not have to seem completely negative, however one of the main harms is , it reduces the sentimentality and cultural significance once the style turns into a fashion fad.
A culture trait that has significantly been used in the fashion industry is the use of the Native American Headdress. It is agreed that certain things are restricted to certain cultures such as wearing a sari to an Indian wedding and wearing a Hijab if you are a Muslim woman, and in showing respect to these cultures we do not dress up in there attire without cultural consciousness. However, we forget that despite the fact that the American headdress is an asthetically appealing item, it has huge significance to the Native American culture and should be refrained from being used as a fashion