Long taken for granted by Westerners, fashion based on colonial dynamics is now being challenged. The call is now for fashion that is more respectful of the cultures and peoples of the world.
The dynamics of colonialism include cultural appropriation, colourism, fetishisation and resource exploitation. Whatever the case, the fashion industry still reflects the power and influence between colonising and colonised countries. Changes are underway, but there is still progress to be made.
The connection between fashion and colonialism in Europe
Modern colonialism spanned 500 years: from the 15th to the 20th century, with a peak in the late 1930s.
This long period of European domination over other nations, mainly in Africa and Asia, has influenced the Western fashion industry in many ways:
- Cultural appropriation, through cultural clothing styles and motifs. These reinterpretations were made to conform to Western standards, without respect or recognition of the original peoples.
- The exploitation of resources and know-how, especially the raw materials used in the textile industry, such as cotton. Local artisans were exploited to produce items for export to Europe at lower prices.
- Colourism, which refers to stereotypes based on skin colour. Fashion models with dark skin or Asian eyes were underrepresented in favour of Eurocentric beauty standards. Similarly, the colours of clothing collections were designed to suit lighter skin tones.
- Fetishisation, where culture and physical attributes were reduced to a superficial or sensationalist vision to suit European commercial purposes. This led to certain symbols or motifs on traditional clothing being stripped of their meaning or cultural context.
Awareness and action
Since attitudes towards racism and its colonial effects began to change, the fashion industry has taken up the fight and made it a priority.
Many players are taking action to counter these colonialist dynamics. Here are some examples:
- Promote diversity and inclusion of colours, bodies and cultures in advertising campaigns and fashion shows.
- Raise public awareness. Consumers are encouraged to question the origins of their purchases and to support brands that are committed to ethical practices that respect traditions and cultures.
- Consideration of the cultural significance of elements incorporated into designs. Designers are now required to consider the importance of these elements to the communities they reference, to engage in dialogue with them and to seek their consent to the use of their culture in fashion.
- A commitment to end the exploitation of local know-how by working with artisans and paying them fairly.
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Polemics are never far away
While the fashion industry has made considerable efforts to break free of the colonial ties that have held it back for so long, brands are still involved in a number of controversies that put them at odds with China in particular.
One of the most recent, and one that has caused quite a stir, dates back to 2021 and concerns the fashion house Dior. An art centre in Shanghai organised an exhibition entitled “Lady Dior” in honour of the famous luxury brand. One of the photos on display caused a stir when many netizens took offence at the fact that the photo “feeds a stereotypical, westernised version of the Chinese population”.
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The image showed a model with slanted eyes, dark skin, dressed in traditional clothes and carrying a Dior handbag. An image that was completely at odds with current standards in the Land of the Rising Sun, where the ideal of beauty is characterised by fair skin and large, round eyes.
The brand and the photographer (herself Chinese) apologised profusely. Dior withdrew the photograph from the exhibition and undertook to review all published work with the Chinese authorities.
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