The multinational British fashion retailer, Topshop, has just been accused of cultural appropriation. Social media users have shared their opinions of how they feel towards a playsuit by Topshop that uses the same print as the Palestinian “Keffiyeh”.
The Keffiyeh scarf is worn as a political statement for Palestinian nationalism, it is a symbol of the many Palestinian lives that have been lost under Israeli occupation and oppression. People were not so fond of the idea that Topshop would steal a cultural print that symbolizes hardship, and try to turn it into a “cute playsuit…for perfect summer cool.” Also, get this, the description calls for the playsuit to be “festival-ready”, obviously referring to the notorious motherland of cultural appropriation, Coachella.
Some twitter users wrote:
“topshop is ugly as hell for this. it’s a KEFFIYEH not a damn scarf playsuit. there is so much meaning and spilled blood behind this” – @basedruba
“.@Topshop decided it would be ok to take a Palestinian keffiyeh- a very important cultural symbol- and make it a “scarf playsuit.” NOPE.” – @Dena
“Hi, @Topshop. Turning the keffiyeh – a Palestinian cultural symbol – into a “playsuit” is offensive and demeaning.” – @Elias_Jahshan
The $75 playsuit has been omitted from Topshop’s website. On Thursday, a Topshop spokeswoman told Evening Standard that, “Topshop is in the process of removing this style from sale.” Therefore we can say that the retailer did voluntarily pull the collection, but they have yet to release a public apology or statement regarding the matter.
This also isn’t the first time the fashion chain has been accused of cultural appropriation. Just weeks before the news of their keffiyeh scandal, twitter user, @BRANDONWARDELL, shared this photo that seems to show a Native-American inspired garment.
As a Palestinian, I do in fact find the whole fiasco as very insulting. I am not fond of the fact that Topshop would use the symbolism of my country’s tragic historic happenings and oppression, for profit and for a white girl’s “aesthetic”. I think I speak for a lot of angry people on this one when I say that, we wouldn’t mind if the company used our print, only if they gave some acknowledgment of Palestinian resistance and oppression, at least in the description box. But to totally ignore the gory behind the print and affiliate it with fun and free-spirit, is just plain ignorant. I suggest Topshop formulate original ideas instead of cultural thieving before they find themselves filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
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