Appropriation vs Appreciation

 By Kei Yong 

'Tall Print Mandarin Collar
Crop Top' from Boohoo

As the largest continent in the world, Asia is naturally one of its most diverse regions. While its architecture and food alone are excellent reasons to visit a place that differs so intensely from the comfy Western bubble, I would argue that its influence on my fashion has perhaps been one of my biggest takeaways from my experiences there. However, as I'm sure is the case with many of our readers, the issue of cultural appropriation constantly lingers in my mind when I assemble a new outfit from such sources of inspiration.

Living in the twenty-first century, we are, as a society, the most conscious we have ever been in our awareness of appropriation, an issue which, unsurprisingly, stems from colonialism. When the West invaded the East in the sixteenth century, it labelled Asian peoples ‘Oriental’, ‘Other’, and ‘Exotic’; now, however, most of us know that such degrading labels are problematic because they fail to embrace the beauty of Asian cultures and instead diminish them under a Western lens through a narrative which tends to depict us as lazy and alienated, and which ultimately seeks to fetishise. Disney’s Princess Jasmine is a prime example for the latter; don’t even get me started on how such misogyny and racism gets imprinted on children from a young age through these kinds of representations.

The difference between the virtue and the vice is that cultural appropriation is exploitative, using another's heritage without a proper education of its origins and significance, while appreciation instead makes an effort to understand and learn about another culture in order to broaden one's perspective and connect with others cross-culturally.

'Black High Neck Cut Out Oriental
Top' from Pretty Little Thing

In recent years, it has become more apparent how bigoted messages can slip into our day-to-day lives, and the fashion industry is a primary culprit. It is eyebrow-raising to see the results of typing ‘Oriental top’ in that little white search box. Finding traditional clothing such as the kimono or the qipao that have been exploited to sexualise Japanese and Chinese prints and silhouettes continues to make my blood boil. Nevertheless, while we often like to point fingers at fast-fashion labels, I find that markets such as Depop and even thrift stores can also be guilty of such crimes.

In these examples, traditionally modest clothing has been transformed on the Western market in a way that reinforms outdated colonialist mentalities and completely disregards the sacred meaning behind these garments. Thus, instead of wearing a qipao for your next black-tie rather than another off-the-rack black dress, reassess such intentions.

It is important for us to reflect upon our perceptions of other cultures which have often been subconsciously shaped by prejudiced sources. However, it is also equally important to ensure that you don’t berate yourself for succumbing to this narrative; the realisation and then intentional understanding of these mistakes indicate how we can become better people who have the strength to confront our flaws and seek to form healthier, unprejudiced, and respectful cross-cultural relationships.