This Week In Cultural Appropriation, Featuring Thom Browne And Junya Watanabe

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Four Pins mercenaries and Complex Style dudes Jian DeLeon and Nick Grant teamed up for a detailed verbal discourse about Thom Browne and Junya Watanabe's recent S/S 16 shows, which were, to say the least, a bit problematic.

Junya sent out Africa-inspired designs and accessories with models, all of whom were white, done up in Rachel Dolezal-inspired hairstyles, which is weird because, typically, when Junya does something that's culturally influenced, he does it right. Last season's La Sape-inspired collection handled the inspiration with tasteful adaption, just another reason why this season's effort is kinda shocking because it was done so poorly.

Meanwhile, Thom Browne's loyalty to Japan, which has helped fuel his success as a designer, seems like it went a bit too far with almost Kabuki-like looks complete with rice paddy rugs, bamboo stalks and printed banners despite the face that none of the models he used were Asian. In fact, they were all white dudes with grey face paint, something that could easily be interpreted as "yellow face."

The presentations were not the smartest, at least according to Jian and Nick, but the final point is an apt one: The people who really affect the change here are the buyers who meet with designers to stock the clothes. If none of the gear sells, maybe we'll forget all about this and move forward. This is a problem that fashion always seems to have and everyone involved still has quite a few lessons to be learned.

[Photo via Matthew Schneier/Twitter]

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