Gucci was not the only cultural appropriation offender in 2018. That same year, a Dolce & Gabbana released a series of ads that showed a woman of Asian descent trying to eat pasta, pizza and even a cannoli with chopsticks, which sparked a huge uproar in China. To add fuel to the fire, the ads included a voiceover in Putonghua to narrate as the woman attempted to eat each dish, which included dialogue like “is it too big for you?”  (in the cannoli version) in a mocking tone, and “Let us show you how to use these tiny stick-like utensils to eat our great pizza margherita”. This was called out as a racist portrayal and trivialising of Chinese culture that perpetuated harmful culture stereotypes. The tension over the campaign was further intensified when leaked screenshots of a private Instagram conversation seemingly showed the designer Stefano Gabbana using the phrase “China Ignorant Dirty Smelling Mafia” and using the poop emoji when referring to China. The company claimed that Gabbana’s account had been hacked.

Of course, there are exceptions. Shortly after D&G’s China debacle in 2018, Miu Miu hosted a fashion show in Shanghai’s Waldorf Astoria on the Bund. For this, the brand collaborated with Chinese art director Tu Nan to recreate the glamour of old-world Shanghai at the venue. Around the same time, Louis Vuitton joined forces with renowned Chinese artist Xu Bing to incorporate Chinese calligraphy in its luggage collection for the Volez, Voguez, Voyagez exhibition in Shanghai. Both initiatives earnt praise from Chinese netizens on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like social media platform, for being respectful of their culture.

However, showing respect for another culture is sometimes not enough. “There has to be respect and recognition, but also awareness,” Hong Kong-based fashion designer Karen Chan tells Tatler during an interview. “There are elements in Chinese culture—like which colour or flower is taboo, or what characters are taboo—which is not possible for anyone outside the culture to be fully aware of. This is true for any culture, as each would have its inherent nuances. The best approach for a designer, then, is to work with local artisans to get things right.”

Chan can speak from personal experience. Her brand The Sparkle Collection modernises traditional cheongsam and Tang jackets for an international clientele, but she says that she has always been careful to keep her brand’s roots steeped in Chinese culture. To ensure that, she works with Fung Yau-choi, a master of cheongsam artistry who has more than 60 years of experience in the craft: “I invited him to be my brand’s advisor, to teach the design team how to make cheongsam and [Tang] jackets the traditional way. [Because] learning the ropes from custodians of the craft is a good way to ensure authenticity.”

Thankfully, the big-ticket fashion brands seem to have caught on to the need to be both respectful and aware. For instance, Christian Dior’s 2023 pre-fall collection fashion show at the Gateway of India in Mumbai was an opportunity for the luxury maison to give overdue credit to Indian embroidery and artistry—which the brand has been using for many years. In fact, ever since Maria Grazia Chiuri took over as creative director at Dior in 2016, she has been working closely with Mumbai’s non-profit Chanakya School of Craft, which employs low-income group women to make traditional hand-embroidered items. This show gave those female artisans the recognition and recompense they are due and deserve. It also helped spread awareness of their skills, creating opportunities for more work and exposure.

Tania Mohan, a Hong Kong-based fashion designer of Indian descent and founder of luxury lifestyle brand Tabla, says such high-profile shows can effectively change perceptions about a country’s resources. “Less than a decade ago, the world was not ready for things [that are] ‘made in India’ to be considered a luxury. But the Dior show has put India firmly on the luxury map by highlighting India’s long-standing role in manufacturing European high fashion.”

For Mohan, it’s important that she sets an example through her own brand. “We work very closely with the karigars (craftsmen) from different regions of India for weaving and embroidery. Even during the pandemic we continued to work with them so that their livelihoods weren’t affected. I [also] like to use social media to tell their stories and educate our customers about their craftsmanship.”

However, when it comes to avoiding cultural appropriation, the responsibility shouldn’t lie with only the designers and brands. Consumers who are incorporating elements from another culture into their wardrobe should also be aware of what they’re wearing and why. Mohan and Chan, whose clientele are largely Westerners, agree that mindfulness matters. “Like anything in life, respect is key,” says Mohan. “It’s a huge compliment to take inspiration from something, but at the end of the day it’s up to you to interpret it with integrity.”

Chan adds that fashion, if used in the right way, can be a great unifier, because “it brings people together, creates dialogue between cultures and opens up your horizons”. And in a world fraught with differences, that is a powerful thing indeed.

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