via Refinery29
Marc Jacobs found himself at the center of another controversy after his fashion show featured models donning pastel colored dreadlocks. Many took to social media to express annoyance, particularly since Jacobs credited Boy George, Marilyn Manson, Lana Wachowski, Harajuku girls and rave culture as inspirations for the look — and totally ignoring the millions of black and brown people who wear locs worldwide. Others wondered why he didn’t just use mostly black models if locs were the look he was going for. Keep in mind, too, that Marc Jacobs incorporated ‘twisted mini buns’ (aka bantu knots) into his 2015 show and — again — gave no credit or reference to black culture.
This might have all just blown over as another exhausting case of appropriation — until Jacobs responded to his critics with some questionable logic. In a now-deleted Instagram post, he had stern words for those who “cry” cultural appropriation:
via Refinery29
He states,
“all who cry ‘cultural appropriation’ or whatever nonsense about any race of skin color wearing their hair in any particular style or manner – funny how you don’t criticize women of color for straightening their hair.”
“all who cry ‘cultural appropriation’ or whatever nonsense about any race of skin color wearing their hair in any particular style or manner – funny how you don’t criticize women of color for straightening their hair.”
Not only is this logic flawed and lazy, it’s dangerous. Straight hair is not cultural appropriation — it was and still is a means of assimilation and conformity to a dominant culture that still punishes black women for wearing their hair in its naturally kinky, curly and coily texture. Black women are still being fired from jobs, kicked out of schools and — until recently — kicked out of the military for wearing natural hair styles. Black girls in South Africa — in an AFRICAN country — are fighting for their right to wear their hair naturally to school.
Perhaps most egregious is that Jacobs pulled the “I don’t see race” card. Funny that his color blindness doesn’t extend to his line of foundations, that are VOID of matches for dark skin tones…
Marc Jacobs’ line of foundations… It seems the only thing he is ‘blind’ to is dark skin…
Let me be clear – not “seeing” race is a form of white privilege that completely ignores racism, mainly for the sake of the white person feeling more comfortable about how they treat others. Black people don’t have the luxury of not seeing race, because we’re reminded of it everyday by the way we’re treated — especially in the beauty industry. Social media users were on hand to give Jacobs a strong read…
Marc Jacobs: "I don't see color or race"
Also Marc Jacobs: "funny how you don't criticize women of COLOR for straightening their hair"
— reggie (@1942bs) September 16, 2016
marc jacobs thinks culture appropriation is woc straightening their hair but not white people wearing dreads pic.twitter.com/mqShN5498e
— shakirah (@starkrogersus) September 16, 2016
