What does cultural appropriation mean to fashion design?

Abstract

Many global apparel brands or top designers around the world are currently involved in litigation cases because of their cultural appropriation. Therefore, this study aims to examine the appropriated cases of fashion products and to suggest some useful points for fashion design. The results of this study show the following characteristics. First, the arbitrary interpretation of designers makes the traditional clothing a completely new item, which has a problem in that the inherent meaning of appropriated objects can be changed or lost. Second, objects are generally appropriated for commercialization, and controversy arises when there is no fair distribution of profits. Last, when historical incidents are appropriated, particular care should be taken if the people of the appropriated culture have experienced colonial rule. In summary, the appropriated products have the following characteristics: they are recognized by consumers as another kind of original products; they have a great impact on media and fashion marketing and they have the possibility of a semantic change because consumers can make various interpretations regardless of the intentions of designers. Therefore, designers should sufficiently consider the purpose of appropriation and historical contexts and should obtain permission from the insiders, and implement a fair distribution of profit.