Another fashion week calls for another bout of cultural appropriation accusations. This time, Director/photographer Amarachi Nwosu called out Stella McCartney’s Paris Fashion Week design for stealing African Ankara print. To add insult to injury, Nwosu pointed out the spring 2018 collection featured only one Black model on the runway.
So are we going to talk about Stella McCartney using Ankara prints,
meanwhile there was only ONE African model on her runway?!🙄 pic.twitter.com/ljrvfNYMNK— Amarachi Nwosu (@AmaraWorldWide) October 2, 2017
How are you going to use African culture as your “inspiration” yet not even attempt to have African women represented on your runway?
— Amarachi Nwosu (@AmaraWorldWide) October 2, 2017
Ankara is an all-cotton fabric found in various designs. It is known by various names, including African wax prints, Dutch prints and Holland prints, according to All Things Ankara. The website says the designs are created using batik, an Indonesian technique that creates patterns by prohibiting the wax from covering the whole fabric. All this has led to some debate about whether or not McCartney’s use of Ankara is actually cultural appropriation.
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Ankara is actually not “our own”. It was first made in Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). Study history: https://t.co/i4fH8j8hjv
— Adeshina Peter (@shina_pitta) October 4, 2017
The Process is Indonesian
— Ayobami (@dondekojo) October 4, 2017
https://twitter.com/heaven_vinyl/status/915636571608686592
Yeah, but then Africans appropriated Indonesian culture claiming this.
— Team Leader Castonzo (@mut25newscenter) October 4, 2017
Still, many were fired up over McCartney’s ready-to-wear collection.
@StellaMcCartney I hope the proceeds of this design went to an African NGO. CAUSE YOU KNOW DAMN WELL THIS AIN'T YOUR DESIGN!! #PFW #PFW17 https://t.co/iZvBDxl9Op
— Nosc Mang (@NoscMang) October 3, 2017
These are basic African designs our grandmothers wear these daily… any credit to African designers?
— Faith Diplomacy (@ImaniSheilah) October 4, 2017
Haba when did African aunty become the fashion icon for 2017? I thought this after Marc Jacobs NYFW show but this?? cc: @T_FisherKing pic.twitter.com/quFqRAZr7h
— Oliver Chinyere (@Oliverdirtyb) October 3, 2017
Others straight up clowned the designs.
This is only worn to cook and pick people up from the airport.
— Denn-warren Tafah (@D_Tafah) October 4, 2017
Something my mum has been wearing for years when she wants to make stew https://t.co/V30QYaoOHV
— Fouréns (@NnennaSays_) October 3, 2017
Mom : nnena!!
Nnena: yes mom!!!
Mom: what should we eat today
Nnena: Rice and stew
Mom : okay go and bring that my dress 👗
— deux avril (@sam_robinho) October 4, 2017
This isn’t the first time McCartney has spurred similar criticism. Nigerians were angered over the fashion designer’s photo collaboration with a Nigerian-Jamaican photographer in May. To many, it simply reinforced stereotypical ideas of the country.
