Native American controversy in Fashion Industry

Caroline Jones

October 28, 2014

Appropriation Controversy in the Fashion Industry

            Fashion innovators look to the past for inspiration, which recently has led to major disputes. Native American labels, motifs, symbols, and products are the latest trend in the fashion world. Many well-known companies are appropriating the Native American culture, taking ideas for their own use without permission, and “playing Indian” for profit.  The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1935 clearly addresses that imitating a government trademark or offering to sell any goods as if they were Indian products are guilty of a misdemeanor. The American fashion industry has for years and still today illegally and wrongfully used motifs, symbols, and products of the Native Americans. Urban Outfitters, Gwen Stefani, and Victoria’s Secret have misrepresented Native American culture to the public and ultimately withdrawn these products with an apology.

            The American band, No Doubt, produced a music video for their song “Looking Hot” with a wild-west theme. The music video features Gwen Stefani on horseback decked in Native American attire, a party in a saloon, a gunfight, teepees, smoke signals, and even the band dancing around a fire. The music video is stereotyping their culture, and disrespects many Native cultures that the producer of the video does not understand. It showed their culture the way as Hollywood does, which is misrepresenting their heritage. Adrienne Keene speaks about how the appropriation makes it difficult to be seen as a live culture: “[…] to be seen as modern, successful people if we are continually represented through plastic tomahawks and feathers.” No Doubt pulled the racially insensitive music video after Native Americans pointed out that it was mocking their culture, and they were using native-designs for profit.

            Urban Outfitters is just one of the many stores that are marking items as “Navajo”, when Navajo does not handcraft the items. This not only violates their trademark law, but it also misinterprets southwest native cultures. The prints may be beautiful, but they also contain a religious significance. It is insensitive when big name companies, such as Urban Outfitters, create an entire line of panties and flasks using this sacred imagery. The Navajo Nation attorney general speaks of the controversy: “[…] undermines the character and uniqueness of the Nation’s long-standing distinctive Navajo name and trademarks.” Urban Outfitters removed this line from their collection, and released an apology to the Native people.

            Victoria’s Secret’s supermodel, Karlie Kloss, sported a floor-length headdress, a leopard-spotted bikini, and turquoise jewelry as she strutted down the runway at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. This ensemble holds minimal resemblance to traditional Native American apparel, yet again falsely representing their society. Victoria Secret makes it seem as if there’s only one tribe, when there are over five hundred tribes all with different cultures. The Native culture is a existent culture today and not stuck in the past, “They are byproducts of systemic racism that perpetuate the idea that there’s no such thing as contemporary Native Culture.” Victoria Secret followed with a formal apology, and removed this attire from their collection.

            The American Fashion Industry has misrepresented the Native American’s to the public for years and still today. They have illegally and wrongfully used these products, which is illegal according to the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1935.

Victoria's Secret model, Karlie Kloss, wearing a Native American style headdress on the runway.

No Doubt's music video for their single, "Looking Hot".

Gwen Stefani in the "Looking Hot" music video standing in front of a teepee.

Urban Outfitters marking items as Navajo. 

Urban Outfitter's "Navajo Flask".

Caroline Jones

Works Cited

CNN

I used this source to educate myself on the cons of fashion industries using Native American’s designs without permission. This website offers recent examples of well known companies appropriating Native American culture, such as Victoria’s Secret and Urban Outfitters, as well as No Doubt’s wild-west themed music video.

The Daily Texan

The Daily Texan provides first hand information about how people of Native American heritage feel about the Urban Outfitters controversy. I used it to strengthen my argument on the legal issues behind naming their label “Navajo”.

Native Appropriations

I used this primary source to support my argument on why it is offensive to wear a Native American headdress. It provides a clear, and first hand, explanation of why these dispute's we may overlook everyday, are extremely offensive to their culture.

Last Real Indians

This blog was used as a primary source, and it educated me on the way No Doubt's music video personally offended Native American's. It offers quotes from other Native Americans, as well as the writer, Linda Tioleu's, personal opinions. It was the first source to make a statement about the lyrics having no relation to the culture. 

Indian Arts and Craft Board

I used this government site to learn the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1935. I found specific laws that protect Native American culture against fashion industry appropriations. This website provided proof that Urban Outfitters, Victoria Secret, and No Doubt broke the laws of the Act.

The Daily Beast

This article provides a specific description of No Doubt's music video, and the problems Native people have found with the video. It also has a quote from NCAI's Robert Holden commending the band for removing the video, because he knows the production was costly and timely. There are useful quotes of arguments on whether the music video is or isn't racist.