Oops, they did it again! Fall is around the corner and many big labels have already started to roll out their Fall/Winter 2021 collections. However, for some brands, the fall season meant less of a hot f/w collection and more of an actual fall, literally. Yes, Balenciaga, we’re talking about you. The luxury brand recently came under fire over a pair of pants released for the Fall/Winter 2021 season. The pants called the “Trompe- L’Oeil Sweatpants”, are designed to show an exposed boxer short above the waistband and retail for $1,190 USD. What’s made these bottoms so controversial is that many people on social media have accused the brand of ‘gentrifying’ sagging – a form of dressing in which pants are deliberately worn low, typically by black men. The fashion move got many users mad because ‘sagging’ apparently has been prohibited and even criminalised in some cities and institutions across the United States which disproportionately affects Black men, and for the house to turn it into a fashion statement in order to make profits seemed rather insensitive. However, this isn’t the first time the fine line between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation was blurred. Scroll down to read more:

1. Gucci

While Gucci has faced a lot of backlash over its products, the two most notable instances come from its Autumn/Winter 2018 collection. The brand found itself in the

middle of a controversy when it released a wool balaclava jumper – a turtleneck sweater designed to feature a cut-out for the mouth with red panels which gave the appearance of exaggerated lips. The apparel received immediate backlash due to its resemblance to blackface caricatures. While Gucci responded by posting an apology on Twitter and removing the jumper from the website, the fashion giant again found itself under fire 3 months later. This time it was a headscarf called “Indy Full Turban” which retailed for $780 and was sold on Nordstrom’s website. Many on social media saw this as insensitive towards the Sikh culture given its resemblance to the Sikh turban. This resulted in Gucci getting called out for cultural appropriation by the Sikh Coalition and the ‘headscarf’ was eventually taken down.

2. Marc Jacobs

This fashion label found itself in the middle of controversy, not over their designs, but the poor choice of hairstyling during their Spring 2017 show. All 52 models, who were predominantly white, walked the show in rainbow wool dreadlocks as a homage to the original club kids. The dreadlocks sported by white models was seen as cultural appropriation and led to Marc Jacobs receiving heavy backlash. The designer’s initial response had ‘it’s not me, it’s you’ undertones to it, but was rectified later by issuing an apology “for the lack of sensitivity”.

3. Burberry

Burberry too joined the club during its Autumn/Winter 2019 show when a model walked down the runway with a hoodie that appeared to have a drawstring tied into a noose hanging from the neck. The hangman’s noose is considered to be a symbol connected to lynching which is a key hate symbol targeting African-Americans. The other more obvious reason this piece received backlash was due to its insensitivity towards suicide due to the ‘noose design’ of the hoodie. The brand responded by releasing an apology statement which claimed that the design was “inspired by the marine theme that ran throughout the collection”, the label acknowledged their mistake and three new diversity initiatives were announced.

4. Victoria’s Secret

The Victoria’s Secret show has made headlines over the years for plenty of reasons, and in 2016, it was cultural appropriation. Asian inspired looks that featured a feathered dragon, a qipao-like bolero, and Chinese knot tassels were donned by Adriana Lima, Elsa Hosk and Lais Ribeiro – all three of who aren’t Chinese by descent. The brand also continues to receive backlash for its “Nomadic Adventures” themed section which includes Native American inspired dresses and a feather war bonnet.

5. Prada

Christmas didn’t go so well for Prada in 2018 when they released a Pradamalia

collection featuring a family of seven creatures. Two designs called Otto and Toto, however, made many unhappy due to their close resemblance to blackface. Protestors also took to the brand’s storefront in SoHo, New York City where the window display features the figurines. Prada responded by changing the windows of its store and apologising by condemning racism and claiming that the imaginary creatures are not intended to have any reference to the real world.

6. Kim Kardashian’s Shapewear Brand

The Kardashians have often found themselves in the middle of a cultural appropriation controversy. This time it’s Kim’s shapewear brand – Skims. Initially named ‘Kimono’, the brand was met with backlash over its name with many accusing Kardashian of cultural appropriation. The backlash wasn’t limited to social media as it led to an open letter penned by Daisaku Kadokawa, the mayor of Kyoto. The letter asked her to drop the Kimono trademark. Putting an end to the controversy, Kardashian announced that she would launch her brand under a new name using her Twitter account to crowdsource ideas.