This year’s Charles James exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art has been running for only a few weeks, but it looks like the folks at the museum have already started thinking about next year’s theme, for which they will look to the East. First reported by WWD, rumors are still swirling that next year’s exhibit will focus on China
China is a country rich in history, art and culture–it will certainly be exciting to see what creations designers offer up for the show. Still, I can’t shake the uh-oh feeling in my stomach I get each time I hear about the theme. Let’s just say, sometimes, fashion people can be a little, uh, clueless when it comes to celebrating non-western cultures. I can’t even count the times we’ve seen the fashion set twirling in blackface, tribal headdresses and Geisha garb like everything is peachy, while the rest of the Internet rages about cultural appropriation, racist imagery and the whitewashing or total erasure of people of color in “inspired” work.
I’m sure Anna Wintour won’t take any foolishness at her party next year, but with images of people dressed in chains at last year’s Disco Africa Halloween party dancing in my head, you really can’t guarantee that someone won’t do something in poor taste. Hopefully, that’s something we won’t have to worry about next year.
Don’t mess this one up, guys.
