I’m sure many of you will have seen that a popular online clothes company called ‘Shein’ has recently come under fire for the sale of what they are calling a “Longline Top & Pants Set”, but it is actually a traditional South Asian outfit known as a Pyjama Kurthi. The online retailer is also selling a number of other outfits that have clearly been inspired by and are copying the style of traditional South Asian dress but have not credited this as their source of influence.
For me, the issue with this lies in the fact that many people from ethnic minority groups have often felt embarrassed or even ashamed to be seen in their traditional dress for fear of what white peers may say about it; this is something I can definitely say that I myself have felt. I always remember I once had a dance lesson on the day of Diwali/ Bandi Chor Divas and my mum said she would collect me, and we would go straight to the Gurdwara from my lesson. I am upset to admit that I was rather embarrassed to be seen wearing a traditional Salwar Kameez in a setting where I had only been seen in Western clothes, for fear of what people might think or say. Fortunately, I have almost always been surrounded by friends who admire the beauty of my Punjabi culture, from the clothing to the Mendhi (henna) so my concerns about what people might have thought were definitely unnecessary, but this is not the case for all ethnic minorities, especially not upon first arrival in the UK. My aunt often tells of how she used to run from the house to their car when wearing traditional Indian clothes growing up in East London in the 80s, because she was afraid of her peers seeing her and asking her why she was wearing “funny clothes”. It does then feel rather like a slap in the face when a population that once made people feel uncomfortable when embracing their culture suddenly decides that they want to wear these clothes and incorporate these styles into their wardrobes, without crediting the culture it belongs to, instead making themselves seem innovative and revolutionary. In short, it seems that a Caucasian individual wearing clothes and styles from a different culture (often without paying homage to said culture) is progressive and unique, but if a person who is actually part of this culture wears these clothes, they are often made to feel embarrassed or as though they don’t belong in Western society. Traditional clothes are also often worn with total disrespect for the culture they came from, with celebrities often wearing these outfits for music videos for songs that are not even vaguely relevant to a specific culture.
Sadly, the level of disrespect extends beyond culture and encroaches on religion. In 2019, Gucci were selling a blue turban for $790. For Sikhs, the turban is a symbol of dedication to our faith when one makes the decision to keep their hair as part of the Five K’s. Sikhs continually experience hate crimes as a result of the wearing of a turban combined with, more often than not, having brown skin, yet Gucci had a Caucasian male model the turban on the runway, who if seen wearing this would surely be seen and described as fashion-forward. Meanwhile, Sikhs who wear turbans (Pagh-wale) often have racial slurs thrown at them from a very young age, and many are also sadly the victims of physical racial abuse. For me, there is a big difference between borrowing from people’s cultures whilst actually appreciating the meaning and historical value behind these aspects and just wearing something from another culture because you think it looks cool or different. Because sadly to this day, the people who look different because of wearing these items or adopting these styles are victims of hate crimes and are even killed for this difference in appearance.
I do not have the answer to solve the issue overall, and it is certainly a difficult one to even attempt to resolve because every culture is made up of a large number of people, and what one person might not find offensive, another will. But perhaps a good place to start is to recognise what we as individuals borrow from other cultures and use this to deepen our understanding of the people around us and their customs and show an appreciation for this.
DISCLAIMER- I understand that of course cases of cultural appropriation also occur in other cultures, I have simply chosen to speak about the experience as a South Asian and how my culture has been appropriated and thus how it is presented.
As always, below is a link directing you to a number of ways you can support the Black Lives Matter movement: