As you know by now, or if you don't, Dior is one of my favourite designers and fashion houses in the entire world, and I look forward to every show and every product that they release. Therefore, I was really looking forward to this 2020 Resort show. Did I watch the live stream? Hell yes. Did I keep refreshing the Vogue Runway page waiting for a review? YES.
Let me start this off by saying that the location choice was excellent! Everything from the setup, the colours, the lighting and the fact that it's in Africa is incredible. Some argue that this choice is a bit odd, it sparked up various conversations and I do get where people come from.
- 1. In these days, all we hear and speak is global warming, eco-friendliness and yet we take hundreds of people to an airplane to a fashion show.
- 2. For a few years, everyone was about China and its culture but now, everyone jumped on Africa and it has made some people upset:
"Those prints mean something, they are our religion and once you put them on a runway like this, they suddenly lose its value." - my course mate, my dear friend Khoety who is from Africa.
But what cannot be argued is that Maria Grazia Chiuri did it right, this was cultural appreciation, not cultural appropriation. The model cast was beautifully diverse, makeup and hair were stunningly simple but effective, styling was also appealing. Don't even get me started on the stunning 16th century El Badi palace that was the perfect fit for this collection.
“It’s about celebrating the diversity of old African cultures. But it’s not an African collection. It’s about the connection between different cultures and promoting African savoir-faire,” anthropologist Anne Grosfilley, who helped execute, research this collection, explained.
Couldn't agree more. Honestly. In my eyes, there is a very thin line between cultural appropriation and appreciation and some people, brands just don't even feel it anymore. Therefore, some people get offended super easily to the point where creators are even scared of going to a cultural direction. Inevitably, I began to wonder, who is at fault here? We all want to experience different cultures without feeling the pressure of offending someone. And creators want to discover prints, colours and textures that would work for their outcomes. And to be fair, there is no explanation or a mathematical equation or formula to avoid the scandal of being offensive. You either don't do it, or you cross the line and deal with consequences.
But Maria Grazia Chiuri did find that thin line and achieved what she wanted: everyone is talking about her latest collection without the anger.
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