The Exploited Trendsetter: Who's Really Behind The Looks We Love

How popular fashion has appropriated Black culture for years.

by KATE WALKER ★ JUNE 19, 2020

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement and a surge of protests around the world, the fashion industry and their role in systemic racism have been under intense scrutiny. The fashion industry, including runway, popularizing trends, and the novel influencer business, has an extensive history of appropriating Black culture. Despite their exploitation of the culture, the industry is often silent in times of injustice fronting Black lives. Although the fashion industry has come a long way in understanding their faults surrounding cultural appropriation, this pattern is still extremely prevalent. Here are a few examples illustrating just that.

Runway:

Runway fashion has been one of the largest culprits in the appropriation of Black culture. One of the most commonly exploited characteristics is their hairstyles, such as dreadlocks and cornrows. These hairstyles have been repeatedly sported on the runway by non-Black models, for example, in Marc Jacobs’ spring 2017 runway show, and more recently in Comme des Garçons 2020 runway show during Paris Fashion Week.

Credit: MINT Magazine

Credit: Teen Vogue

Braids and dreadlocks are embedded in Black culture and date back thousands of years, originating in Africa. According to Essence, “colonizers sought to take away the women’s lifeline to their homeland. As the women endured the rigors of slavery in America, braids became more functional.”

*I urge you to read the article inserted above as it is extremely informative and from the perspective of Black women.

Braids and hairstyles alike represent so much more to Black culture than simply a hairstyle. They signify strength, unity, and perseverance through years of racism and oppression. Thus, it is extremely harmful and problematic when the fashion industry exploits the hairstyle, merely treating it as a trend.

Credit: Essence

Trends:

Trends such as hoop earrings, grills, and sneakers are also directly related to Black culture.

Hoop earrings:

Hoop earrings have become increasingly popular in the last decade, and women’s jewelry collections are often not seen without them. Although the origin of the jewelry is unknown, it is rumored golden hoops date back to ancient Sumerian women in 2500 B.C. Since then, variations of the earrings have been adopted by Black and Latinx women, to African Americans. During the Black Power movement in the 1960s, hoops became popular with streetwear as they offered a way to embrace an Afrocentric way of dressing. Whether sporting hoop earrings is a form of cultural appropriation has been long debated. Nevertheless, it is extremely important to recognize the jewelry’s significance to the Black community and the Black Power movements within America.

Credit: Pinterest

Credit: Pinterest

Grills:

The concept of putting gold and silver caps on teeth originated from ancient Etruscan and Mayan culture. Wealthy women would wear these precious jewels as a way of displaying their wealth and class in society. Ever since then, the tradition trickled down to the Mayan descendants during the early 1900s and has appeared throughout Latin American and Caribbean people. The trend became popular in the late 1980s as hip hop and R&B artists began sporting the look. Grills then made their way into the 2010s and were worn by celebrities such as Chris Brown, Rihanna, and Kanye West. Yet, once again, a trend that is deeply rooted in the people of color’s culture has been misused by white celebrities, such as Madonna and Katy Perry.

Credit: Pinterest

Credit: Pinterest

Sneakers:

Although the history of sneakers does not correspond to the regions of Black and people of color, the term “sneaker culture” and the shoes modern transformation found success through its exploitation of young black men within Black culture.

Everyone wears sneakers, whether it be around the house, working out, or as a fashion statement. However, when we refer to sneakers, we are referring to shoes such as Jordan and Chucks, both of which have paved the way for the latest basketball-inspired, and sports alike, sneaker trend.

Campaigns for this footwear have been accused of the exploitation of young black men by footwear companies, both as icons and as consumers. Although sneakers don't belong to one culture, markets have found success in using Black culture and their street-inspired fashions in their campaigns. Thus, differing to the trends above, the footwear is not appropriating Black culture and instead, corporate American brands are appealing to consumers through their exploitation and appropriation of Black culture.

Credit: Lympo Shop

Credit: Pinterest

Influencers:

The term “influencer” is relatively new and has gained immense popularity in the last few years.  Social media influencers are individuals with large followings and have the power to affect their audience’s purchasing decisions and style, as well as influence their behavior in their everyday life, regardless of consumption habits. Therefore, influencers have a huge responsibility when choosing what to promote, and  how they display themselves to their audience. Yet, too many influencers fail to fulfill this responsibility and instead, create a society that appropriates Black culture, failing to understand its harmful effects.

Blackfishing:
According to NBC News, “blackfishing” is “the phenomena of white female influencers pretending to be black through a combination of makeup and traditionally black hairstyles and fashion.” The controversy of “blackfishing” began when images of Swedish model Emma Hallberg emerged, exposing her as a white woman instead of a light-skinned Black woman which she led followers to believe. 

The Kardashian-Jenner family has also been accused of “blackfishing” as the family’s signature look is constructed of phenotypically black beauty, such as accentuated lips and prominent curves. They also regularly sport traditionally black hairstyles like box braids, cornrows, or laid edges, and yet, are not Black. Many followers, especially Black followers, are angered by the family’s constant exploitation of Black culture as “It’s so deeply rooted in white privilege because they can take up a space that an actual black woman could have had.”

Credit: Teen Vogue

Credit:

Black culture dominates the fashion industry whether it be on the runway,  this season’s trends, or influencer culture. Yet, within the daily lives of Black individuals, traditionally Black styles that flourish on the runway, are deemed unprofessional in society. Instead of appreciating and respecting the culture's traditional styles and beauty characteristics, they are exploited within the fashion industry and are appropriated merely for profit.