Week 6: Cultural Economy of Asian Chic

Week 6
Sidney Siu
(Re)Appropriation and Ownership of Culture

Generally speaking, many people will think straight to cultural appropriation when the topic of Asian fashion/trends being popularized in the U.S. is brought up. However, in chapter 3 of this week's reading by Thur Linh Nguyen Tu, she reminds the readers that what she wants to focus on is: how Asianness as a fashion commodity is accessed as a resource to Asian American designers and what the cultural-economic relationship between Asia and the U.S. is, along with the aspects of its interconnectedness.

Though many countries in Europe-- France being widely known-- are fashion capitals of the world, the U.S. didn't absorb the Asian chic trend until centuries later in comparison. It's cited in the text that cultural economy of distance is where exotic (Asian) goods are desirable and valued due to the distance at which they are, i.e. the further away, the more alluring the product or object might be. One might think it's just a way for outside countries to flaunt cultural and global capital, which it in part is,  but another way to look at it is the fact that it also creates a "world of competition." (Nguyen Tu) Not only does this trend make up competition between the designers that incorporate Asian tradition into their clothing, but it also generates more competition for Asian designers.

So, while there is profit on both sides of the market, there is still a discussion of whether certain traditions can be used as a means for profit (rather than appreciation) and cultural authenticity. Can curiosity be a killer in the fashion industry as the talk of appropriation grows?