Western Use and Appropriation

While African cloth is quite visually appealing, it is important that Western individuals understand the origin of the designs and do not appropriate them in Western fashion design. There have been numerous cases of American and European designers utilizing African motifs in their designs. Many have been made aware of their mistakes and have vowed to not appropriate the symbols of other cultures again in the future.

As consumers, understanding the history and significance of fabrics belonging to cultures other than our own is necessary to ensure that we do not appropriate these cultures. It is especially important to make sure that white Europeans and Americans do not continue to exploit nations and peoples which have historically been exploited throughout the colonial period. Through helping to promote a greater understanding of the different types of West African textiles, we hope to bring about more awareness for cultural understanding and sensitivity in our community.

"Batik Fashion Show" by Chandrahadi Junarto is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Western Use and Appropriation