March 03rd, 2022 – By Promostyl
ETHNIC HERITAGE IN FASHION: THE POWER OF MULTICULTURALITY
The importance of cultural inclusivity and knowing the difference between appreciation and appropriation in the fashion industry has been one of the biggest issues of the past decade and is an ongoing fight for the concerned community, namely minorities. That is why the rise of Heritage Fashion has been an amazing sight to see over the past few years, but what exactly is Heritage Fashion? We are talking about the use of cultural elements from the designers' native countries, often blended with that of the countries they were raised in or influenced by to tell their stories.
Think Thebe Magugu, Pyer Moss, Ahluwalia or Nicholas Daley; to name a few. Beyond recognition and respect, there is a will to share the values, craft and creative power of the countries and/or communities those designers belong to. The endgame here is to push the rest of the world to go beyond what can often be seen as token inclusivity and give the spotlight to their people in order to have the industry mirror the cosmopolite world we live in in a more honest and realistic way.
These designers’ ability to float through different times to build their collections is crucial as it also educates the people on their cultures’ past, present and, most importantly, future ; a future in which their audience hopefully expands beyond #IYKYK (If You Know, You Know) fans they already count in their midst.
