Cultural appropriation is often written off as an abstraction from reality and the result of social justice activists looking for an issue to stretch beyond their imaginations. However, whether or not cultural appropriation seems like a significant issue for the general population, the ringing of the bells of racism are engrained into the minds of the public forever.
Unsavory sentiments were gathered as an ad for designer Tory Burch’s new 2017 summer collection (Tory Story: An American Road Trip) featured no models of color but a song by two people of color. Rocking platinum blonde locks, model Poppy Delevigne is captured in the commercial dancing to the song “Juju On That Beat” with two other white sidekick-esque models. But the cause for concern does not stop there as a stuffed monkey is seen in the seat of the passenger car with Poppy and her crew during the commercial as well. Monkeys have historically been an insulting symbolization and interpretation of black people, and with racially insensitive undertones already having been claimed with Delevigne’s dancing, the monkey only seemed to add on to the offensive flames of Burch’s commerical.
Those uncomfortable with the ad’s exclusion of models of color expressed their druthers about the matter on Twitter.
Some were upset.
Oh no baby what is you doin' ?@toryburch https://t.co/KLN5XwPdIr
— Mel Bae (@__melbae) March 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/ELECTRICB1UE/status/844747516054712321
I had to watch it twice to make sure it really happened. Really @toryburch? ?I'm done with the internet today ✌?https://t.co/GkBuW8Ut0a
— Jess ? (@TheJessLyfe) March 23, 2017
While others found the conversation on the commerical to be trivial.
So before I go to bed… this #ToryBurch "controversy" is ridiculous. If juju on that beat is now an intricate part of black culture….. ✌? pic.twitter.com/JhO3RQ7kp8
— Kamie Crawford (@KamieCrawford) March 22, 2017
After mass backlash across media outlets, Burch deleted the video from her Instagram page and issued an apology, stating:
We Sincerely apologize if this video has offended anyone. It was never meant to be insensitive in anyway. I personally feel very badly if this hurt anyone and I’m truly sorry. – Tory Burch
As the apology has no disappeared from Burch’s Instagram it can be pondered as to whether or not this was a sincere apology as opposed to a classic case of a celebrity rescuing themselves from a public relations nightmare.
Ultimately Burch’s commercial generally brings about nothing new regarding the fashion industry as many have viewed the force to be historically offensive towards people/models of color for decades. If an entity has proven itself to project itself in one manner, then why should any more than what it has displayed be expected of it? Additionally, majority representations profiting off of black culture is a seed that has grown into American culture organically. Therefore Tory Story: An American Roadtrip only continues a long trend of the insidious theft of black culture for non-black profit.
