Right after making the purchase, it hit me that $0.99 is such a teensy donation—can’t Kenneth Cole, with those sneakers selling like hotcakes, donate more for the cause? 

It has now been almost four months since Russia plowed into Ukraine, killing hundreds of civilians and causing millions to flee the country in search of asylum. The invasion began on the second day of Milan Fashion Week in February, and focusing on something as frivolous as fashion while the world churned in turmoil came off as being blatantly ignorant. Gigi Hadid put this strangeness into words on Instagram, announcing on March 6 that she will be donating all of her earnings from Fashion Week to Ukrainian relief. Sister Bella Hadid soon followed suit, later joined by other models like Kaia Gerber, Vittoria Ceretti, Kiki Willems, and Francesca Summers. 

 

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A post shared by Gigi Hadid (@gigihadid)

Priority has since shifted to not whether, but how, the trillion-dollar industry will use its sheer size and massive audience to make a stand against Russia and provide aid to Ukrainian refugees. LVMH has risen to the challenge, pledging €5 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross. “Only the Brave” Foundation, which owns Maison Margiela, Marni, and Jil Sander, is working with the UNHCR to help displaced Ukrainians. Chanel has contributed €2 million to relief funds. Giorgio Armani held his Milan Fashion Week show in silence, and Pierpaolo Piccioli offered an exaltation to the people of Ukraine at the beginning of the Valentino Fall/Winter 2022 show. 

Fashion conglomerate Kering, which owns the likes of Gucci, Balenciaga, and Saint Laurent, was one of the first to openly pledge on Instagram a “significant donation” to the United Nations Refugees Agency. While Gucci has given $500,000 to the UNHCR—with more brand donations incoming according to Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault—it was Balenciaga’s exceptional efforts that stood out. 

Aside from wiping and entirely dedicating its social media channels to the conflict and making a donation to the UN World Food Program, designer Demna Gvasalia referenced the horror of the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine by unleashing a snowstorm at Balenciaga’s Fall/Winter 2022 runway show. As models prepared to brave the snow, strong, blustery winds and flashing lights that appeared to mimic bombs, all set within an enormous snow globe, audience members outside the glass held onto blue and yellow t-shirts that had been left on every seat. Attached to each was a note from Demna, who himself had fled Georgia at the age of 12 during the country’s civil war:

The war in Ukraine triggered the pain of a past trauma that I have been carrying inside me since 1993, when the same thing happened in my home country and I became a refugee forever. Forever, because it is something that stays inside.

At the start of the show, the audience listened to a recording of Demna reading a classic Ukrainian poem from the writer Oleksandr Oles, as a prayer of strength for Ukraine. Models bent against the wind carrying heavy leather trash bags added to the severity of the show, yet at the same time appeared to mock the inflated grandiosity of the industry. At that moment, what was originally conceptualized as a commentary on climate change turned into a forceful stand against the war. 

 

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A post shared by Balenciaga by Demna (@demnagram)

Still, Demna felt that a statement-making runway show and notes of sympathy were not enough—not really doing something about it. Taking serious action, Balenciaga has shut all its stores and halted online sales in Russia, joining the ranks of Chanel, Burberry, Cartier, and Hèrmes, plus high street brands like Zara, H&M, Mango, Nike, and Asos, to include luxury goods in sanctions. This happened after Vogue Ukraine urged fashion brands to place embargoes, in the same vein as Condé Nast suspending all publishing operations in Russia. “Showing your conscience and choosing humanity over monetary benefits is the only reasonable stand one can take in confronting the violent behavior of Russia,” wrote the magazine on Instagram. “Moreover, Vogue UA appeals to the global fashion industry to not keep silence during these dark times as it has the strongest voice.”

 

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In contrast, luxury brands Bulgari, Omega, and Rolex are taking their time in pulling out from Russia, capitalizing on the reported scramble by Russian oligarchs to preserve their savings by investing in luxury goods. Luxury watches and fine jewelry serve as a store of value, known to appreciate and maintain high resale prices even amid currency dives and financial meltdowns caused by war. 

In an interview with Bloomberg, Bulgari group CEO Jean-Christophe Babin heralded the brand’s jewelry as a “safe investment,” admitting that “In the short term it has probably boosted the business.” Babin added that they are sticking around for the people and not for the “political world.” Splitting the two sentiments, and, in doing so, failing to take action against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, reads like a lame excuse. 

How can brands like Bulgari ever, now or in the future, espouse social or ethical credentials when they are apparently unwilling to act beyond the profit motive? Choosing to keep their hold on the lucrative luxury market in Russia comes across as especially blasé at a time when other jewelry brands are making bold statements in solidarity with Ukraine— Tiffany last month announced a pause on buying Russian diamonds, and Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Pandora have left the Responsible Jewellery Council (the watch and jewelry industry’s ethics and standards body) over the group’s refusal to cut ties with Russia. Being unable to commit to a strong moral position in the midst of global unrest, at a time when buyers demand it, paints a dire picture of the Italian jewelry house. 

And the public does not let such insensitivity slide. When Fast Retailing chairman Tadashi Yanai originally announced that Uniqlo would stay open in Russia as the brand does not make political comments, the company was lambasted on social media and a “boycott Uniqlo” hashtag went viral. Seeing that shoppers do not make light of their beloved brand taking an impassive approach to international conflict, that decision has since been reversed. 

 

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The same happened when WeWoreWhat founder Danielle Bernstein used the war to plug her brand. Page Six reported that the influencer, with 2.8 million followers, posted shots of herself in a bikini with the caption: “​​When I say you can do both, I truly mean it. You can post about fashion and post about world issues. You can raise awareness for your new collection while also raising money to give back.” The post received major backlash and was later edited. “Performance activism, is quite literally, the death of change and reform,” aptly responded one commenter.

Taking in this zeitgeist amongst its politically-engaged consumers, we can only hope that fashion houses will up their efforts and do more for Ukraine—like giving more significant donations per purchase, pledging a percentage of their profits this season towards charities that help Ukrainian refugees, and releasing capsule collections or items with profits dedicated to Ukraine. Brands that have not made it clear if they are stopping sales in Russia, like Puma and Ralph Lauren, should pull out post-haste and shout it aloud on social media. Bringing luxury sales to a grounding halt in Russia, and, in turn, taking a hit in revenue in the name of making a stand, weighs so much more than the fashion industry being apologetic for its own existence. 

The absolute least the fashion conscious can do—action that can make a difference—is to support fashion houses that have stopped all sales in Russia, and those that are donating proceeds from sales to help Ukraine, like Minimalist NYC. There are also brands releasing collections dedicated to Ukraine, with 100% of the proceeds going to humanitarian organizations and charities dedicated to supporting Ukrainians affected by the war. These include Brit jewelry brand Misho Designs, a dedicated necklace from Made by Mary, and a chic wave sweater from Edify. 

We laud Demna for how he forced the fashion set to stop and ask questions, both of ourselves and the industry, and salute brands that have forsaken profits and shut stores in Russia, but a majority of fashion brands need to do more and do it now. This is a time for the fashion industry to live up to its claims of social responsibility, to answer a call for guts and glory, as the war shakes the industry out of apathy and into action. 

The post How Fashion is Responding to The War in Ukraine appeared first on The Urban Watch Magazine.

In the Spring/Summer 2020 Season, many designers like Schiaparelli,  Valentino, and Giambattista Valli sent looks down their runways featuring vivid facial jewelry or decorations. The question arose—as many Eastern countries have a meaningful history of facial jewelry, when does the trend of facial jewelry become cultural appropriation? We asked Bhavyaa’s opinion and also talked to her about her Indian background, her latest collection, and how her work has been impacted by Covid-19. 

What is the inspiration behind your latest collection?

Jewelry is passed on from mother to daughter, it is a right of passage, a form of inheritance for many. Traditionally, jewelry was also called “stri dhan” which translates to “woman’s wealth.” In Indian culture, historically when women could not own property or wealth, jewelry gave them a sense of financial security. Suppose a lady was in urgent need of money—she had the right to sell her jewelry. Similarly, I wanted my jewelry to help women regenerate a sense of agency, to reclaim their independence, have the confidence to be their own “knight in shining armor.” If someone tries to assault me, I can easily stab them with my earrings. They send a message that I can fight back. I dislike the idea of pleading, then waiting for someone to help me. 

Previously, I had designed and fabricated a free size (adjustable, one size fits all) cocktail ring that can serve as a self-defense weapon for women so that we can feel safer in the parking lot or after a night out with friends. The design is inspired by my personal experience. In middle school, I used to keep sharp pencils or a compass from my geometry box to poke away any men who tried to touch me inappropriately on my way back from school in Delhi Metro. Later, I expanded this idea and turned it into an entire jewelry collection.

What inspires your process of designing and making? 

The shapes for my jewelry are inspired by the architecture of my maternal grandmother’s ancestral home in Allahabad (now renamed to Prayagraj). Growing up I always had many incredible women in my family to learn from and to look up to as role models. It was like a fortress or a sanctuary that protected me as a child and prepared me for the real world as a young adult.

I design jewelry using CAD software such as rhino and key shot and then 3D print my prototypes to test sizing and dimensions on the body. After finalizing, it is 3D printed again in resin, then cast in reclaimed metal, cleaned, polished, and plated by hand.

Can you tell me a little bit about your background, where you grew up, and how you decided to come to NYC?

I grew up in New Delhi, India where I went to school before moving to New York for college. It was my teenage dream to study at Parsons, eat Murray’s bagels for breakfast, and buy supplies at mood fabrics. Project Runway played a big part in selling me on that dream.

New Delhi is a metropolitan city that exposed me to different and diverse cultural practices within my own country. I loved going to museums, art galleries, classical concerts, and street plays with my mother. One time there was a jewelry exhibition that my parents and I went to—it was the first time the jewelry from the royal family, Nizam of Hyderabad, was open to the public.  I was about 3 years old and I remember my mother being in awe of it all. It was stunning, shiny, and sparkly and I told my mother to ask papa to buy it for her—not knowing that I was referring to the Jacob diamond which is 184.5 carats, making it the 5th largest polished diamond in the world. The Nizam used it as a paperweight in his study.

As many Eastern countries have a meaningful history of facial jewelry—when does the trend of facial jewelry become cultural appropriation in the West?

The older a culture is, it gets more and more complex to accurately dissect it and understand it, especially a culture such as mine, which not only dates far back but also has a lot of influence from other cultures that we later adopted as our own. In Northern India, women get their left nostril pierced and it is a very common practice, widely perceived as a coming-of-age rite of passage. An Ancient ayurvedic medicine belief is that it helps regulate the menstrual cycle and manage childbirth pain. Some sects believe that sex workers have their right nostril pierced. I had my friend from the U.S. visit India and she was approached by various men because of her piercing. At the same time, people from Southern India have many of their own subcultural and tribal practices—some wear left, some right and some even wear rings on both nostrils. 

Facial jewelry is not exclusively a part of any culture, but it mostly gained popularity during the ’60s-’70s or the “hippie movement.” I personally see it as the West embracing something from the Eastern culture, but sometimes it has negative connotations attached to it. 

Can you give me some examples of how you have either experienced cultural appropriation in the U.S. or when you felt discriminated against because of your stylistic choices? 

Facial piercings in the U.S. can be perceived as unprofessional, especially in the corporate culture, but for me—the piercing holds cultural value.

“As a woman of color, you do everything to fit in. For example, you take off your jewelry to come one step closer to where you need to be, but at some point, you realize it’s not just a piece of jewelry that you’re taking off, it’s a piece of your culture.” 

For instance, I’d consider it cultural appropriation if the brand is selling a septum nose ring with a cultural motif, symbol, pattern, or even if it uses indigenous techniques, such as kundan (uncut, unpolished diamond). 

Some of the most disturbing instances of cultural appropriation for me are: When Heidi Klum dressed as an Indian Goddess Kaali Ma for her Halloween party and when Gwen Stefany dressed in traditional Indian clothes for a gala. 

Once, I visited a home décor store chain selling an elephant God statue and it made me feel uneasy because, for me, that’s Ganesh ji, a spiritual symbol and not just a home decor piece. Halloween and Diwali are pretty close to each other in dates, so twice I’ve been asked on Diwali if I’m culturally appropriating for Halloween “That’s my culture,” I responded. 

Someone once asked me if I was copying Gwen Stefani when I wore an ethnic skirt on my laundry day. There have been multiple times I’ve received comments about my outfit after celebrating one of my holidays. Someone said “belly dance for me;” another guy yelled “Yo, chicken tikka masala!” and I was like “Yo, hamburger!” and my friends started yelling words like “Cheeseburger, hot dog!” 

There’s a difference between cultural appropriation and appreciation. I think it was appreciation, for example, when Kim Kardashian wore a sari for the March 2018 cover photoshoot of Vogue India. There are some instances when wearing traditional wear shows appreciation for the culture, like if you’re visiting the embassy of that particular country. 

On the other hand, Karl Lagerfeld commented “Indian women are so chic, even the poorest one will at least be wearing two bangles” after his Chanel Pre-Fall 2012 collection “Paris-Bombay Métiers d’Art.” But it’s not about us being chic—it’s part of our culture; our jewelry is kind of like our life insurance because we can sell it in case of emergency, and it’s an investment. 

What was your experience like at Parsons, one of the best fashion colleges in the world? 

When I started as a freshman at Parsons, I was quite intimidated by my peers as they had already interned with designers like Oscar Dela Renta, were covered by Vogue, and etc. It made me want to work harder and prove myself. Parsons School of Design is one of the best design schools in the world and Fashion Design is one of the most competitive programs. Parsons gave me a platform to connect, compete, and learn from the future leaders of the fashion world. Our professors also worked in the industry. My thesis advisor Muriel Favaro used to be one of the designers for Kate Spade back in the day when she started her brand. Another professor Caroline Simonelli was Donna Karan’s mentor, and she once said: “Fashion is the mirror image of time, and time right now is chaotic”. Techniques can be learned in many different places around the world, but Parsons taught me a way of thinking and finding inspiration. Why do we always need to reinvent the wheel? Sometimes it’s better to just change the approach. A professor once made me design over 100 logos for my brand and it was only after that is when I finally understood what it feels like to think outside the box.

What is your dream job?

My dream job keeps changing, but essentially I want to be in a position of power to bring about change for the better, make a positive impact, and create opportunities to help people. I really like Sofia Vergara’s company EBY—it’s an underwear subscription that uses part of its profits to microfinance loans for women all over the world. Another brand I really admire is Volta Atelier—the designer Fernanda Daudt trains and employs Haitian refugees in Brazil to sew bags made from leftover leather. I want my work to have a larger mission –  to inspire and eventually enable people to make their own move towards financial independence. 

How has COVID-19 impacted your work and what have you been up to during this time? 

Now I refer to time as pre-COVID and post-COVID. Millions of people are stranded away from home and loved ones. I am using this time to ideate and design more, and then re-design and re-imagine that. People are doing virtual photoshoots and that’s amazing—how come we didn’t try that before? I am taking virtual tours of zoos and museums, and it is obviously not the same as seeing it in person, but inspiration can strike anytime. I have an entire folder filled with images and quotes that I found interesting and wanted to keep for the future just in case. I re-discovered a quote from the Amazon Prime show Mozart in The Jungle that I absolutely love:

“She was an artist. At a time when women were supposed to be muses, not artists.” 

This is the time when our ability to think, imagine, write, create art or music is not hindered by lack of time. Pandemic or any global tragedy has a way to seep into art and literature—we create so much art from tragedy.  

You can follow Bhavyaa on Instagram @bhavyaainy

The post Fashion Designer Bhavyaa Prasad on Cultural Appropriation and Appreciation appeared first on The Urban Watch Magazine.