Fashion is a borrower. Always has been , always will be. It’s part of the industry’s charm - the way it pulls from every corner of the world, and gives us something (most of the time) beautiful from this little thing we call diversity in the human world. But recently the conversation has shifted… Instead of toasting to fashion’s global inspirations, there’s a very quick and clearly growing discomfort with where ideas come from. Appropriation. It’s the new buzzword, but is it really the crisis it’s made out to be?
We’ve seen it all before; a designer’s design reminds someone of a certain cultural pattern, uses traditional fabrics, or introduces a signature look on the runway. And then, surprise, everyone's buzzing about appropriation like it's the latest must-have accessory. But let’s pause for a second. Fashion’s been bending, blending, and borrowing since the first caveman thought a saber-tooth hide looked good. The stories, the influences, the ability to admire and follow suit. Isn’t that something we should raise a toast to, instead of criticizing and blasting? And sure, there are those moments where credit is taken when it should be due, no one’s denying that. When fashion does borrow, it should be done with a wink and a nod to where it came from, because that is what makes it just that, fashion. But can we really spend all our Sunday afternoons looking at each and every design and labeling who owns what, and where exactly that idea is from, instead of just looking at it and appreciating the craft, appreciating fashion for what it really is - reinvention, reinterpretation, and pushing boundaries. To act like every cultural influence is off-limits unless it follows a strict set of guidelines feels like trying to put a dress code on creativity.
Here’s the thing : fashion doesn’t exist to fit a standard, to stand in a box. It’s a global conversation. A kimono, a marinière, a certain print - they’re all a part of the conversation. And when a designer draws from these elements, it’s not necessarily a matter of “stealing and taking without giving”. I see it as recognizing the beauty in something, and letting it inspire a new creation and design. Isn’t that just basic innovation?
And yes, I hear them too, those critics saying that fashion’s habit of borrowing “diminishes” the culture it draws from, but I see it totally differently. When something from one culture makes its way to the mainstream, it’s not being erased, it’s being elevated, newly appreciated. Take traditional African prints that have made their way into high fashion, or the revival of bohemian styles inspired by Eastern Europe. The designs were and always will be beautiful, but now the whole world sees them on a grander stage. That’s not theft - that’s respect. I know and everyone knows that most cultural appropriation talks are about protecting culture, but people have got to remember that no culture owns a style, a pattern, or a way of dressing. Fashion is kind of like free markets, it lives for ideas, and new-new-new! Cultures influence each other, and that “cross-pollination” is how we grow. If we draw lines around who owns what, we limit that growth. We hold back creativity. And isn’t the beauty of fashion that it defies boundaries?
We live in a world where trends are recycled faster than last season's shoes, and inspiration comes and goes in a New York minute. So who's to say where one designer's idea ends and another's begins? I realize every day how much fashion really is just like a game of dress-up, where we all play with different styles, mix and match, and sometimes, unintentionally step on each other's toes. That doesn’t mean we have to get our stilettos in a twist! We've all borrowed a style tip or two from someone else, whether it's from that fashion influencer we follow on Instagram, or our sister's closet (guilty!). Well then, what’s a fashion lover to do? Let's just remember that fashion has always been a big old mix of influences from around the globe. So before we start blacklisting every designer who dares to take a cultural cue, I say we keep it light, we keep it fun, and we remember, fashion is all about expression, exploration, and a little bit of playful imitation now and then. Because in the end, what really matters is not who wore it first, but who wore it best! Cheers to that!
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