Comme des Garçons: Appreciation or Appropriation?
Rei Kawakubo, creative director of the Tokyo/Paris-based luxury brand, Comme des Garçons, is known for pushing the boundaries of creativity — but is her depiction of corn rows on the runway of her Paris FW 2020 show an ode to black culture or a mockery?
Vogue writer Sarah Mower expressed that Kawakubo was inspired by “the energy of youth,” and that her multi-colored collection is “color resistance — fighting back with color” in spite of our dark times. Representation was present on the runway featuring models of various skin tones walking with oddly placed braided wigs, some donning wigs dangled from necklaces. The hair stylist that made the wigs, Julien d’Ys, claims that he was inspired by an Egyptian prince and that he only meant to pay homage, so why do these braided wigs garner a side eye from so many?
2,976 Likes, 1,814 Comments - @juliendys on Instagram: "Dear all, My inspiration for the comme des garçons show was Egyptian prince A Look i found truly..."
Well for starers, braids and cornrows are not merely a trend to choose. They are a cultural style from those of African descent that many people have experienced discrimination for. As an African American, I wear braids as a means of protective styling, and I wasn’t aware that they would rob me of a first impression until I entered the workforce as an adult. We do not wear them for shock value or a cool conversation starter, but as a way to manager curly, kinky, and bravely independent hair.
When we are so often persecuted, judged, or fetishized for our deeply culture hairstyles and then see them misused in a costume-like manner, it justifies a lengthy eye roll.
I can understand the naiveté in which Kawakubo made her bold choice and I am confident that the brand meant no harm. But I do offer a word to the wise: whenever you look to a marginalized community for inspiration to “make it fashion”, just don’t.