Letters | Don’t be too quick to call brands out on cultural appropriation
Readers discuss the use of Chinese stylistic elements in fashion, a Malaysian corruption trial, and a new trade pact
It is worth acknowledging that Western fashion houses do not always represent Chinese culture with depth or accuracy. But it is equally important to recognise that some reactions online do not necessarily represent the broader Chinese population either.
Ask uncles and aunties in the streets of Hong Kong or Shanghai what they think of the jackets in question, and many may simply shrug, smile and respond, “Quite pretty.” For them, it is design: fabric, silhouette, proportion.
Cultural appropriation has been defined as culturally dominant groups profiting from the culture of subordinate groups. In fashion, the term is applicable to profitable use of cultural motifs. However, the more important question is whether the adaptation negates, distorts or defames the culture it draws from, and that does not seem to be the case here.
Of course, it is better when inspiration is acknowledged thoughtfully. But we should also be realistic about what we expect across cultural distance. Even as someone of Hong Kong heritage, I have never worn a qipao or a traditional tang jacket in daily life. I suspect few people in Hong Kong can name pankou, the knotted fastening. Cultural knowledge is often partial even among supposed insiders.