Week 10 | "Asian on my Mind"

Rida Riaz
ASA 141
Week 10

Young Americans from different ethnic backgrounds tend to lose a part of their cultural identity as they grow up in Western nations. The only way they are familiar with those cultural roots is through their parents or grandparents; therefore, they get tangled up by very different binaries like Western versus Eastern or cultural versus liberal. In this article, Thuy Linh Nguyen describes how Asian American designers fail to represent their heritage in their designs as well as forget to strengthen the symbolic relationship they have with Asia. These designers were in it for the economic interests rather than capturing the real essence of Asian designs and showcasing their authenticity. Moreover, what's disappointing is that they use their Asian background as a way to target the Asian diaspora to make profits rather than to showcase the beauty of Asian culture to Western nations. Minorities living in Western nations have an advantage to bring in new designs as well as showcase their roots and culture through the powerful, art of clothing as through silence many words are spoken; however, they end up making their collection appealing to the eyes of Western nations and forget how to incorporate their culture in a creative manner.

Derek Lam's Collection

Jason Wu's Summer/Spring 2015 Collection

Another aspect that stood out to me was how Nguyen brought Muslim women into the mix by comparing their modesty in regards to the hijab ("veil") as a cultural identity more so than oppression as everyone else misunderstands it to be. Being modest is a way these Muslim women choose to showcase their political and self agency by going against the hegemonic Western norms; plus, they articulate many binaries as well as subject positions by wearing a simple head scarf. Nguyen made this point to showcase how Asian American designers have incorporated many revealing designs to show how this is modernity or standing against sexual misconceptions; however, by wearing less clothes takes the idea of embodiment and modesty which is highlighted in Asian cultures away and goes into the category of being a part of Western thinking how wearing less clothes equals more freedom or how sexuality is the only sign of feminism.