Another week, another cultural appropriation controversy. Or so it seems when it comes to fashion and its faux pas.
This time, the lightning rod is Kim Kardashian West's latest venture, announced on Tuesday: a line from "Solution Clothing," itself a creative take on quintessential "shapewear," previously called shapewear and corsets. This one will be renamed Kimono.
It turns out that Romeo and Juliet made a mistake. When it comes to names, there's a lot at stake, at least when attempts at memorable puns collide with brand names, national heritage and the fame associated with influencers.
Kimono, a variant of Ms. Kardashian West's name to match her other brands (Kimoji and KKW Beauty), and what she said in a statement to The New York Times was seen as "a nod to beauty and the details that continue". "garment" quickly became the subject of online allegations of ignorant and offensive abuse. Not least because the name was juxtaposed with photographer Vanessa Beecroft's images of many nude women of varying sizes and colors in the collection.
Ms Kardashian West said in her statement that she had no intention of "designing or launching any item of clothing that resembles or in any way disgraces traditional clothing". She also has no intention of responding to the backlash by changing her name.
"My Solutionwear brand is inclusive and diverse and I'm incredibly proud of what's to come," she said. These include bras, briefs, shorts and jumpsuits.
The premiere of the line is scheduled for July. But while traditional kimonos, which the Victoria & Albert Museum says date back to the 16th century, evoke many associations, these aren't usually tied to lingerie, Hollywood stars or reality TV. Hence the problem.
One exception to those who voiced her objections was Chrissy Teigen, who tweeted, "Oh my god I don't need to cut the side of my spanx anymore." Ms. Kardashian West promised to send her "the biggest package of them all."
People's outrage was further heightened when they learned that Ms Kardashian West had filed trademarks for her kimono lines. Eight entries were submitted, some variations of the name and its design, in the categories apparel and apparel, leather goods (excluding apparel) and advertising, retail and business services.
The app also includes a font-specific version of the word "kimono," a type of bubbly letter she said husband Kanye West created as opposed to the common word herself.
"The trademark application is a source identifier that allows me to use the word for my line of shapewear and underwear, but in this case it does not exclude or prevent anyone from making kimonos or use the word kimono in reference to traditional." Clothes. Ms. Kardashian West said in the statement. The nuance got lost in the indignation.
A new hashtag, #KimOhNo, was circulating on Twitter on Thursday morning and a change.org petition was started by Sono Fukunishi, who wrote about wearing a kimono every day.
"I don't want to share the word with any brand of underwear," the petition reads. "'Kimono' means 'clothes' in Japanese."
The petition calls the use of the name "a terrible cultural disrespect." As of Thursday afternoon, more than 11,000 people had signed up, but no specific action is requested other than expressing general displeasure at the election of Ms Kardashian West.
Ms Kardashian West has been accused of cultural appropriation before, most recently in April when she attended her husband's 'Sunday service' at Coachella wearing what many believed to be a maang tikka, the head pendant counted among 16 decorations Indian traditional wedding dresses; and previously for wearing what she dubbed "Bo Derek's braids."
He said goodbye to the public self-blame and excuses that have become second nature in the fashion world (see: Gucci, Prada, H&M) and remained silent, at least on social media, during the much of the controversy.
On Thursday, however, he had decided to comment. Perhaps because chaos had eclipsed the line itself, which was designed for a wide range of body types and skin tones and is clearly aiming to carve out a niche for itself in a market somewhere between Spanx and the line. Savage x Fenty lingerie set by Rihanna.
"I understand and have a lot of respect for the importance of the kimono in Japanese culture," Ms Kardashian West said.
In any case, it turns out that this is not the first brand with no particular history of the kimono to try to attach the name to a product. There are kimono condoms and kimono lash eyelash extensions. Yet, Ms. Kardashian West's brand is the first to reference a single person and their internet fame.
And therein lies the moral of this particular story. Those who thrive on the power of viral social media moments and sharing may also be vulnerable to the power of viral social media backlash and sharing.
Read Also : What percentage of the US population identifies as a racial or ethnic minority?
Jackson Mateo
Another week, another cultural appropriation controversy. Or so it seems when it comes to fashion and its faux pas.
This time, the lightning rod is Kim Kardashian West's latest venture, announced on Tuesday: a line from "Solution Clothing," itself a creative take on quintessential "shapewear," previously called shapewear and corsets. This one will be renamed Kimono.
It turns out that Romeo and Juliet made a mistake. When it comes to names, there's a lot at stake, at least when attempts at memorable puns collide with brand names, national heritage and the fame associated with influencers.
Kimono, a variant of Ms. Kardashian West's name to match her other brands (Kimoji and KKW Beauty), and what she said in a statement to The New York Times was seen as "a nod to beauty and the details that continue". "garment" quickly became the subject of online allegations of ignorant and offensive abuse. Not least because the name was juxtaposed with photographer Vanessa Beecroft's images of many nude women of varying sizes and colors in the collection.
Ms Kardashian West said in her statement that she had no intention of "designing or launching any item of clothing that resembles or in any way disgraces traditional clothing". She also has no intention of responding to the backlash by changing her name.
"My Solutionwear brand is inclusive and diverse and I'm incredibly proud of what's to come," she said. These include bras, briefs, shorts and jumpsuits.
The premiere of the line is scheduled for July. But while traditional kimonos, which the Victoria & Albert Museum says date back to the 16th century, evoke many associations, these aren't usually tied to lingerie, Hollywood stars or reality TV. Hence the problem.
One exception to those who voiced her objections was Chrissy Teigen, who tweeted, "Oh my god I don't need to cut the side of my spanx anymore." Ms. Kardashian West promised to send her "the biggest package of them all."
People's outrage was further heightened when they learned that Ms Kardashian West had filed trademarks for her kimono lines. Eight entries were submitted, some variations of the name and its design, in the categories apparel and apparel, leather goods (excluding apparel) and advertising, retail and business services.
The app also includes a font-specific version of the word "kimono," a type of bubbly letter she said husband Kanye West created as opposed to the common word herself.
"The trademark application is a source identifier that allows me to use the word for my line of shapewear and underwear, but in this case it does not exclude or prevent anyone from making kimonos or use the word kimono in reference to traditional." Clothes. Ms. Kardashian West said in the statement. The nuance got lost in the indignation.
A new hashtag, #KimOhNo, was circulating on Twitter on Thursday morning and a change.org petition was started by Sono Fukunishi, who wrote about wearing a kimono every day.
Read Also : What percentage of the US population identifies as a racial or ethnic minority?"I don't want to share the word with any brand of underwear," the petition reads. "'Kimono' means 'clothes' in Japanese."
The petition calls the use of the name "a terrible cultural disrespect." As of Thursday afternoon, more than 11,000 people had signed up, but no specific action is requested other than expressing general displeasure at the election of Ms Kardashian West.
Ms Kardashian West has been accused of cultural appropriation before, most recently in April when she attended her husband's 'Sunday service' at Coachella wearing what many believed to be a maang tikka, the head pendant counted among 16 decorations Indian traditional wedding dresses; and previously for wearing what she dubbed "Bo Derek's braids."
He said goodbye to the public self-blame and excuses that have become second nature in the fashion world (see: Gucci, Prada, H&M) and remained silent, at least on social media, during the much of the controversy.
On Thursday, however, he had decided to comment. Perhaps because chaos had eclipsed the line itself, which was designed for a wide range of body types and skin tones and is clearly aiming to carve out a niche for itself in a market somewhere between Spanx and the line. Savage x Fenty lingerie set by Rihanna.
"I understand and have a lot of respect for the importance of the kimono in Japanese culture," Ms Kardashian West said.
In any case, it turns out that this is not the first brand with no particular history of the kimono to try to attach the name to a product. There are kimono condoms and kimono lash eyelash extensions. Yet, Ms. Kardashian West's brand is the first to reference a single person and their internet fame.
And therein lies the moral of this particular story. Those who thrive on the power of viral social media moments and sharing may also be vulnerable to the power of viral social media backlash and sharing.