Fashion has always played an essential role in human culture to express individuality and establish a sense of community (McNeill & Venter, 2019, p. 370). Traditional dress patterns and tailoring methods from all over the world have found their way into contemporary fashion. This movement presents both prospects and challenges for both designers and consumers. Although Brown and Vacca (2022) claim that the unique representation of cultural heritage made possible by modern fashion’s use of traditional clothing designs and construction methods also raises concerns about cultural appropriation and preservation, this paper aims to analyze how different cultures’ clothing traditions have influenced modern fashion and to weigh the pros and cons of this trend from the perspectives of both consumers and designers. Learn how cultural heritage influences contemporary clothing, why respecting and preserving cultural traditions is important, and the challenges and rewards of working with cultural heritage in this informative read.
Concerns about cultural appropriation and preservation have increased as traditional clothing styles and techniques from various cultures are increasingly popular in modern fashion. Traditional clothing styles and techniques must be understood in their cultural context. Traditional clothing styles from different cultures include the Kimono from Japan, the Sari from India, the Dashiki from West Africa, the Kaftan from the Middle East, and the Hanbok from Korea. According to Sandhu, traditional crafts like embroidery, weaving, beading, and dyeing help shape cultural identity and clothing styles (2020, pg 175). However, these culturally-rooted methods are often passed down. A good example is Ukrainian embroidery used in modern clothing to preserve cultural heritage and identity. Its integration into the industry can offer a respectful way to highlight cultural diversity. Although traditional dress and tailoring methods are significant aspects of cultural heritage and identity, as claimed by Katelieva, Muhar and Penker (2020 pg 675), they still must be incorporated into modern clothing with respect and consideration for cultural preservation, but this presents a unique opportunity to showcase and appreciate cultural diversity.
Concern over cultural appropriation is rising due to the trend of fusing traditional dress and tailoring methods from various cultures into contemporary fashion. Cultural appropriation is using elements of another culture for one’s ends without understanding, respecting, or being aware of their cultural significance. Because it frequently leads to misrepresenting or commodifying their cultural heritage, this can be detrimental to traditional cultures as much as Gurjar affirms that without consideration for their cultural significance or financial gain, modern fashion incorporates Native American headdresses and African tribal prints (2020). This diminishes the significance of cultural traditions (Valle-Noronha, 2019). The ethical ramifications of cultural appropriation in fashion are numerous. One way to celebrate and honour cultural diversity is by incorporating traditional dress patterns and techniques into contemporary clothing. The practice of “cultural appropriation” can potentially reinforce negative stereotypes and minimize the value of customary attire and methods. Designers and customers must respect the cultural significance of traditional clothing methods and styles when incorporating them into contemporary clothing. This entails respecting their traditions and roots rather than viewing them as fads.
Modern clothing incorporates traditional dress promoting creativity, cultural exchange, and preservation (Fan and Zhou 2020, pg 2379). Designers can create unique looks by incorporating traditional clothing styles and techniques into contemporary fashion. By maintaining their relevance, traditional techniques can be incorporated into contemporary clothing, helping to preserve cultural traditions. Misrepresentation, commercialization, and cultural erasure are also drawbacks of this trend. Cultural traditions that are misrepresented or misused can harm marginalized cultures and reinforce negative stereotypes. The exploitation of communities and the erasure of culture can result from commercializing traditional dress and tailoring methods. Finding a balance between commercial success and cultural heritage takes time and effort. Modern fashion must respect and sensitively incorporate traditional clothing techniques and styles (Murzyn-Kupisz et al. 2021 pg 531). This includes cooperating with their communities to ensure appropriate use and respecting traditional clothing styles and techniques’ cultural significance and historical background. By doing this, we can ensure that conventional clothing designs and production methods are respectfully and ethically incorporated into contemporary clothing.
Designers are crucial to preserving cultural heritage through the medium of fashion. Designers are responsible for preserving and advancing cultural diversity and preventing the appropriation and misrepresentation of traditional clothing styles and methods. Designers who successfully incorporate traditional methods and aesthetics into contemporary clothing while honouring their antecedents can serve as leaders in the fashion world. For instance, according to Huang (2020), Stella Jean frequently works with artisans from various nations. She incorporates traditional skills like weaving and embroidery into her designs to create one-of-a-kind and sustainable items. Clothing designers can contribute to the preservation of culture. People can learn about cultural heritage and cultural appropriation from designers. They can assist local communities and artisans by collaborating on designs and fairly compensating them. Designers can promote cultural exchange and innovation while preserving traditional styles and techniques.
To sum up, designers have a big part to play in promoting cultural preservation through fashion, so it is essential that they handle this responsibility with respect and awareness of the diversity of cultures. Along with designers and business professionals, consumers also significantly impact the preservation of cultural heritage. Consumers can help preserve cultures by actively participating in understanding, respecting, and using traditional clothing styles and their significance (Moisander et al., 2020). This requires understanding the cultural roots of fashion trends and refraining from cultural appropriation and commodification. Customers can actively support ethical fashion companies that place a premium on fair trade principles and cultural preservation. By incorporating traditional clothing styles into their wardrobes and demonstrating appreciation for their cultural significance, consumers can encourage the continuation of cultural traditions and contribute to the diversification of fashion. For instance, wearing a Sari or Hanbok for a special event while appreciating its cultural significance can be a heartfelt way to value and honour cultural heritage. Finally, promoting cultural preservation through fashion is greatly influenced by consumers’ capacity to assist and elevate marginalized communities while actively promoting cultural understanding and respect.
Fashion has always been a vehicle for cultural identity and self-expression. Modern fashion is experimenting with incorporating traditional clothing designs and manufacturing methods from various cultures. Traditional dress patterns and construction methods uniquely represent cultural heritage, but cultural appropriation and preservation are issues. This essay explores the advantages and disadvantages for designers and consumers of incorporating traditional clothing styles and techniques from various cultures into contemporary fashion. As traditional clothing styles and methods are incorporated into modern fashion, concerns over cultural appropriation increase. Using aspects of another culture without understanding, acknowledging, or respecting them is known as cultural appropriation. Modern fashion encourages cultural exchange, preservation, and innovation through traditional dress patterns and techniques. Drawbacks include misrepresentation, commercialization, and cultural erasure. To protect cultural heritage, fashion designers must respect cultural diversity. Customers can support ethical fashion brands that value cultural preservation and fair trade by buying from them and respecting traditional clothing styles and their meaning. They can also prevent cultural appropriation and commodification. Traditional clothing techniques and styles must be ethically incorporated into modern fashion to support cultural diversity and preserve cultural traditions.
Reference
Brown, S., & Vacca, F. (2022). Cultural sustainability in fashion: reflections on craft and sustainable development models. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 18(1), 590-600. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15487733.2022.2100102
Fan, K. K., & Zhou, Y. (2020). The influence of traditional cultural resources (TCRs) on the communication of clothing brands. Sustainability, 12(6), 2379. Retrieved from https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/6/2379
Gurjar, Y. (2020). Usage of Traditional Cultural Expressions (TCEs) by Fashion Industries. Supremo Amicus, pp. 21, 13. Retrieved from https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/supami21&div=3&id=&page=
Huang, Y. (2022). Remake–The continued solution for a fashion brand. Retrieved from https://books.google.co.ke/books?hl=en&lr=&id=OBirEAAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA6&dq=Stella+Jean+frequently+works+with+artisans+from+various+nations.+She+incorporates+traditional+skills+like+weaving+and+embroidery+into+her+designs+to+create+one-of-a-kind+and+sustainable+items&ots=NsidVgNrTN&sig=gGdhK1IJEIb1dg6hFGsjqBQYPXo&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
Katelieva, M., Muhar, A., & Penker, M. (2020). Nature-related knowledge as intangible cultural heritage: Safeguarding and tourism utilization in Austria. Journal of Tourism and Cultural Change, 18(6), 673–689. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14766825.2019.1693581
McNeill, L., & Venter, B. (2019). Identity, self‐concept and young women’s engagement with collaborative, sustainable fashion consumption models. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 43(4), 368–378. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ijcs.12516
Moisander, J., Närvänen, E., & Valtonen, A. (2020). Interpretive marketing research: using ethnography in strategic market development. Retrieved from https://trepo.tuni.fi/handle/10024/135217
Murzyn-Kupisz, M., & Hołuj, D. (2021). Fashion design education and sustainability: towards an equilibrium between craftsmanship and artistic and business skills? Education Sciences, 11(9), 531. Retrieved from https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/11/9/531
Sandhu, A. (2020). Fashioning wellbeing through craft: a case study of aneeth Arora’s strategies for sustainable fashion and decolonizing design. Fashion Practice, 12(2), 172–192. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17569370.2020.1769362
Valle-Noronha, J. (2019). Becoming with Clothes: Activating wearer-worn engagements through design. Aalto University. Retrieved from https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/40624
write