Within the span of a month, Dior and its campaign model Johnny Depp offended Native Americans with the fragrance Sauvage, Ariana Grande was accused of stealing fashion ideas from LGBTQ+ culture, and Gucci found itself in hot water when models strutted down the runway in straightjackets, further stigmatizing mental health issues.
With a generation that strives towards promoting inclusive retail environments, the need to correct and learn from instances of cultural appropriation is crucial. If a brand experiences backlash, it needs to take the appropriate steps towards correcting the problem. Brands can also get ahead of the curve and accurately represent their client-base from the get-go, enhancing the opportunity to turn regular consumers into loyal fans.
So how can retailers define what celebrates culture, rather than appearing ignorant to someone else’s background?
Tone-Deaf Decisions
Sometimes brand executives don’t even know if they are crossing the line. For example, when Gucci had its models rock a turban on the runway, it got credit for aspects of a culture that it stole from, which crosses the line from appreciation to appropriation.
This goes on to even further reinforce the already existing power imbalance between a dominant and minority group. There’s a difference between brands drawing inspiration from cultures and stealing from them. Some brands that have been accused of doing so know the appropriate ways to correct their mistake.
Learning from Criticism
Fashion retailer H&M, for example, has found itself in the middle of controversy after its ad for a sweatshirt went viral. The ad featured a young, black girl with a hairstyle that critics deemed inappropriate. Since the incident, the company has made efforts to change its corporate narrative and take strides to create a more inclusive organization. How a company decides to respond to controversy resonates with consumers, so choosing to learn from the criticism is a step in the right direction.
Another instance was when Kim Kardashian-West stalled her latest shapewear project, “Kimono,” after fans took to social media to call her out for her cultural insensitivity, having felt that she was disrespecting a traditional Japanese garment. Soon after, Kardashian-West apologized and thanked her followers for their feedback before announcing that she was going to come up with a more appropriate name, settling on “Skims.” She took this feedback in stride and remained transparent in the entire rebranding process.
Rihanna is another celebrity that took some heat for cultural appropriation recently. Some of her Instagram followers accused her of appropriating indigenous culture after referring to the choreographer of her Savage X Fenty debut fashion show as her “spirit animal.” Rihanna responded immediately to one of the comments with, “You’re so right! It won’t happen again.” This is a perfect example of how to graciously deal with constructive criticism on hot-button issues and topics that come up when you have a large platform like a celebrity or brand. Retailers and brands can avoid creating their own problems by learning from situations like these and by fostering diverse and inclusive environments.
Making Fashion Accessible & Inclusive
There are various ways brands can avoid the mistake of cultural appropriation. They can partner with advocacy groups, hire a chief diversity officer or even utilize focus groups. A simple way to ensure that a brand is making fashion accessible and inclusive is by driving personalization. Personalization not only provides brands the opportunity to engage with customers, but it also allows for customers to connect with them on an emotional level, which builds trust between customers and brands.
Every brand has a different path to brand loyalty, but personalization serves individuals based on their needs, which can take many forms. Brands can start driving personalization by connecting consumers with technology that would help give them accurate readings into their exact body type. Personalization stems from understanding your consumer’s shopping journey, which will provide the retailer insights that will help them craft ways that improve the customer experience.
Nigerian-born entrepreneur Addie Elabor, who founded D’iyanu, a brand designed to honor hardworking people who embrace fashion as a defining statement, is an example of a successful brand crushing personalization and inclusivity. The name “D’iyanu” is a blend of both French and Yoruba and signifies the marriage of the two cultures which define the brand. The brand successfully reaches to empower people to express cultural pride. D’iyanu understands what its customer wants and accurately represents them.
The mistakes that brands continually make regarding appropriation is not new, but sadly, they are happening more frequently. To combat this, brands need to understand their customers and what they find appropriate, especially if it is supposed to be a representation of their own culture. They must strive towards promoting acceptance and inclusiveness, which celebrates the individual and offers them an exceptional, personalized experience.
