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Dear BOF, Cultural Appropriation is NOT Ok!

3:09 PM

Fashion Doesn't Need Cultural Appropriation

I've actually witness the growth of BOF as minimal blog many years ago and appreciated the founder Imran Amed on merging the business and fashion together on a intellectual level in the blogosphere. It came to my surprise, anger and disappointment when an article was published saying basically designers should culture appropriate in their collections. WTF?!  Ok let's be clear and let's define culture appropriation.



“Appropriation occurs when a style leads to racist generalizations or stereotypes where it originated but is deemed as high-fashion, cool or funny when the privileged take it for themselves,” - Amanda Stenberg

There's nothing wrong drawing inspiration, but something is wrong if you knowingly take an aspect from a culture without the proper credit. But time and time again we (black people and marginalized people) have witness our style, music, dances, even the way we physical look get patronized. We have been labeled, "ugly", "ghetto", "unprofessional" and many adjectives that I can't think of right now...But you get the point! When the majority flips it and uses it for themselves, it's the trendy new thing, ie boxer braids(it's always been called cornrows! CORNROWS!!!)
 Lindsay Peoples, Associate Market Editor at New York Magazine, posted this on her insta story regarding to BOF's article:


POC = People of color

I think in these times more than ever we as bloggers, editors and social media influencers have been more aware of what we see in media and voice our opinions out of frustration and hurt. It's tough enough to be a POC in fashion to see everyday the millions of dollars spent and earn on our backs without the representation in ads, on the runway, the corporate offices and the boardroom. Let me remind you all and BOF something, cultural appropriation didn't come from something positive. It came from the majority, fetishzing. oppressing and expressing their elitism in ways to suppress POC. Until there is equality and racism is completely wiped out on this earth...Cultural Appropriation is NOT ok!

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