An Exploration on the Cultural Appropriation of Traditional Chinese Fashion
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1 An Exploration on the Cultural Appropriation of Traditional Chinese Fashion by Vicki Liang A THESIS submitted to Oregon State University Honors College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Honors Baccalaureate of Science in Merchandising Management and Apparel Design (Honors Scholar) Presented August 19, 2021 Commencement June 2022 2 3 AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Vicki Liang for the degree of Honors Baccalaureate of Science in Merchandising Management and Apparel Design presented August 19, 2021. Title: An Exploration on the Cultural Appropriation of Traditional Chinese Fashion. Abstract approved:_____________________________________________________ Patricia Sakurai Throughout the course of fashion, much inspiration has been sourced by designers from ethnic cultures. Chinese fashion specifically has been referenced and reinterpreted by Western creatives for many years, either by incorporating elements of traditional garments or presenting them in an inappropriate manner. Such activities have garnered accusations of cultural appropriation that individuals have disrespected Chinese culture through these garments. Particularly in recent years, there has been a rise of such claims due to awareness spread by social media. The frequency of these claims differs between Western and Eastern cultures, with the former seeing a higher frequency of claims. This mainly appears to be due to Western society’s focus on holding politically correct attitudes; however it can also be attributed to the more diverse population of Western countries – specifically the United States – compared to the more homogenous populations of East Asian countries – specifically China. This thesis endeavors to explore the question of how clothing itself speaks upon the convergence of Chinese and American fashion histories and traditions, cultures, and identities, and in what specific ways. The personal experience of the hybridity of being a Chinese-American will be examined further through self-designed clothing. Key Words: Chinese fashion, cultural appropriation, qipao Corresponding e-mail address: [email protected] 4 An Exploration on the Cultural Appropriation of Traditional Chinese Fashion by Vicki Liang A THESIS submitted to Oregon State University Honors College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Honors Baccalaureate of Science in Merchandising Management and Apparel Design (Honors Scholar) Presented August 19, 2021 Commencement June 2022 5 Honors Baccalaureate of Science in Merchandising Management and Apparel Design project of Vicki Liang presented on August 19, 2021. APPROVED: _____________________________________________________________________ Patricia Sakurai, Mentor, representing Ethnic Studies _____________________________________________________________________ Marianne Dickson, Committee Member, representing Apparel Design _____________________________________________________________________ Ann Vong, Committee Member, representing Apparel Design _____________________________________________________________________ Toni Doolen, Dean, Oregon State University Honors College I understand that my project will become part of the permanent collection of Oregon State University, Honors College. My signature below authorizes release of my project to any reader upon request. _____________________________________________________________________ Vicki Liang, Author 6 Table of Contents Introduction ..............................................................................................................................9 A Brief History on Orientalism ..............................................................................................9 Case Studies: An Analysis of Cultural Appropriation of Chinese Fashion .....................12 Garment Design .....................................................................................................................24 Conception and Inspiration ...................................................................................................... 24 Design ...................................................................................................................................... 25 Patterns ..................................................................................................................................... 29 Construction ............................................................................................................................. 34 Interpretation of the Garments ................................................................................................. 41 Art Installation ......................................................................................................................... 42 Conclusion ..............................................................................................................................45 Works Cited ............................................................................................................................46 Images Cited ............................................................................................................................ 50 Image Index Figure 1: Google Search of “cheongsam” ............................................................................................... 17 Figure 2: Qipao sold on Amazon ............................................................................................................... 18 Figure 3: One of Keziah Daum’s prom photos ...................................................................................... 20 Figure 4: Original qipao sketches .............................................................................................................. 27 Figure 5: Technical flat of first dress ........................................................................................................ 28 Figure 6: Technical flat of second dress ................................................................................................... 29 Figure 7: Collar pattern piece ...................................................................................................................... 30 Figure 8: Dress front pattern piece ............................................................................................................ 31 Figure 9: Dress front shoulder pattern piece ........................................................................................... 32 7 Figure 10: Dress back pattern piece .......................................................................................................... 33 Figure 11: Front view of first dress ........................................................................................................... 35 Figure 12: Side view of first dress ............................................................................................................. 36 Figure 13: Back view of first dress ............................................................................................................ 37 Figure 14: Close-up photo of dress details .............................................................................................. 38 Figure 15: Front view of second dress ...................................................................................................... 39 Figure 16: Back view of second dress ...................................................................................................... 40 Figure 17: View of art installation with garments ................................................................................ 43 Figure 18: Alternate view of art installation ........................................................................................... 44 8 Introduction Whenever someone questions me on my personal interests – whether it be an effort to make small talk or an inquiry of genuine curiosity – the subject of fashion inevitably comes up. Throughout my life, I remember being fascinated by clothing. During my adolescence, I loved the aesthetic nature of garments, but as I grew older, I began to be more drawn to the cultural significance and impact of fashion overall. Though I appreciated many styles of clothing, there were passing moments when I realized that I did not ever really consider Chinese fashion, which was strange considering that I myself am Chinese American. They came whenever I saw certain elements – a glimpse of a mandarin collar or bright brocade garments – that were so indicative of the culture I belonged to. I felt a sense of uneasiness and embarrassment, but I often brushed these feelings off. It wasn’t until 2019 that I heard of a case which fascinated me to no end – musician Rihanna had been featured on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar China wearing traditional Chinese garments, and it had garnered both claims of cultural appropriation and votes of high praise. Interestingly enough, a majority of these responses came from Chinese Americans and Chinese natives respectively. It left me questioning the entire situation. Whose opinion was right? Is one required to possess certain credentials, experiences, or genetics in order to reserve the right of calling out cultural appropriation? With the issue being so prevalent in fashion today, it was a topic that I felt motivated to investigate more deeply. As I personally identify as Chinese American, I am focusing solely on the subject of cultural appropriation of Chinese culture – particularly in the United States – and