Comme Des Garçons Apologizes for Cultural Appropriation

Cult Japanese label Comme Des Garçons has apologized for dressing white models in its Paris Fashion Week runway show in cornrow wigs.

The styling choice, unveiled over the weekend; sparked immediate backlash from Twitter users and commentators. Popular fashion criticism account Diet Prada declared the choice “problematic”.

Diet Prada wrote: “[Comme] seemed to have taken a step back with their men’s show … It was only in 2015 that Fashion Police host Giuliana Rancic said that Zendaya’s dreadlocks at the Oscars made her look like she ‘smells like patchouli oil or weed’.”

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Back in 2018, @commedesgarcons cast their first black models in over 20 years for their FW18 show, following critical comments from netizens who noticed they hadn’t featured a black model since 1994. Last night, the avant-garde Japanese label seemed to have taken a step back with their men’s show, this time putting white models in cornrow wigs. Some black models also sported the wigs, while some wore their own hair. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Vogue Runway called them “odd”, which is a curious statement in itself, considering the stigma and discrimination of natural hair and hairstyles that embrace cultural identity (braids, Bantu knots, twists and locs). It was only in 2015 that Fashion Police host Giuliana Rancic said that Zendaya’s dreadlocks at the Oscars made her look like she “smells like patchouli oil or weed”. Suffice it to say, CDG’s decision to appropriate the braided hairstyles for white models is indeed problematic. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ On the positive side, more states are legislating to ban race-based hair discrimination, following New York and California’s decision in 2019. Dieters, what do you think about the wigs at Comme des Garçons? The look on the model’s faces say it all, don’t you think? • #commedesgarcons #culturalappropriation #pfw #pfwm #pfw20 #cornrows #wig #wigs #caucasity #commepocracy #reikawakubo #adrianjoffe #discrimination #hair #naturalhairstyles #locs #locstyles #blackhair #blackhairstyles #naturallycurly #protectivestyles #goodhair #model #malemodel #avantgarde #cdgconverse #cdgplay #cdg #vogue #dietprada
 
A post shared by  Diet Prada ™ (@diet_prada) on Jan 18, 2020 at 4:16am PST
 

Comme has now shared a statement to Dazed magazine apologizing for offending parts of their audience. “The inspiration for the headpieces for Comme des Garçons menswear FW’20 show was the look of an Egyptian prince.

“It was never ever our intention to disrespect or hurt anyone – we deeply and sincerely apologise for any offense it has caused.” The statement, notably, only apologizes for causing offense, and not for the act itself.

In a separate post, the show’s hairstylist, Julien d’Ys, also apologized for causing offense. The stylist wrote: “My inspiration for the Comme des Garçons show was Egyptian prince; a look I found truly beautiful … Never was it my intention to hurt or offend anyone, ever. If I did I deeply apologize.”

Check out the post below:

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Dear all, My inspiration for the comme des garçons show was Egyptian prince A Look i found truly beautiful and inspirational. A look that was an hommage. Never was it my intention to hurt or offend anyone , ever. If I did I deeply apologize. ❤️ Julien d’Ys
 
A post shared by  juliendys (@juliendys) on Jan 18, 2020 at 8:59am PST