Tackling Cultural Appropriation in the Fashion Industry

Authenticity has become a popular metric to gauge the artistic merit of modern fashion designs. According to Miuccia Prada, “all our culture derives from other cultures, but authenticity is when you can add something of your own [to something already in existence] and push things forward.” In line with that way of thinking, fashion designers strive to create authentic garments and accessories that resonate with the consumers of today by refashioning traditional cultural expressions (TCEs), which are design elements embedded in traditional works of art. TCEs are the creative products of indigenous communities. For indigenous peoples, TCEs are a reflection…...