Reflection of lecture 10 – Cultural sustainability
Since this unit started, I’ve watched and attended a number of thought-provoking lectures based on a range of topics. However, the lecture on cultural sustainability by John Lau was one that I found most interesting, as the topic of culture is extremely important to me and there is a noticeable issue with how people in the fashion industry misuse and mistreat different cultures.
One aspect that I would like to highlight from this lecture is that “culture is about ideas, customs, and social behaviours. It’s not always about where we’re from” John Lau (2020). I spent a considerable amount of time thinking about this quote as I had never thought about culture in this way, especially as I have been raised on different cultural aspects like clothing, food, and attitudes from two very different places; Wales and Jamaica. Being born in Wales and raised in south London, it is evident that ‘Jamaican culture’ resides through ideas and customs taught to me and some of the food I eat, even though I wasn’t born there, and I have only visited the country once.
Stemming from this quote, I think it’s important to note that ideas, customs and social behaviours aren’t the sole features that define a culture. And this relates to cultural appropriation; a key issue within the fashion industry. In regard to cultural clothing, makeup and hair styles, it is important to remember that in many instances you must be from that culture to wear a certain piece. For instance, it’s all good to say that “culture is not always about where we’re from”, but that wouldn’t apply to a white person wearing the hairstyle of box braids, or a native American headpiece as a “custom”, as they are evidently not of that race or culture, therefore they would be culturally appropriating.
I have been aware of this issue before attending the lecture, but it is important that others acknowledge this within the fashion industry, as it is still something that occurs on a regular basis. This specific ‘better lives’ theme can influence my work as a creative practitioner by educating me on cultural sustainability and the importance of it within the industry. I know that if I were to create a project without any consideration for culture and how I could offend many people, I would not be doing the fashion industry any justice in terms of understanding, awareness and respect for others.
Lau, J. (2020) ‘Cultural Sustainability’ [live stream]. Better lives, London College of Fashion, 18 February.