Sociology
The Politics of Cultural Appropriation in Global Fashion Industries
Quick fact
Fashion brands have repeatedly faced backlash for using cultural motifs—from Native American headdresses to sacred Hindu imagery—often with no input from those communities, while the brands profit and the original communities receive no benefit.
Why this is interesting
Have you ever seen a designer use a sacred symbol from an Indigenous culture on a runway without any collaboration? Who gets to decide what is fashion and what is sacred?