Mexico demands explanation from French designer Isabel Marant over indigenous designs
Reuters
November 5, 2020 01:13 MYT
November 5, 2020 01:13 MYT
Fashion designer Isabel Marant acknowledges the audience at her Spring/Summer 2019 women's ready-to-wear collection show during Paris Fashion Week in Paris, France. -REUTERS file pic
MEXICO CITY: Mexico's culture ministry on Wednesday questioned French fashion designer Isabel Marant's use of patterns from indigenous Mexican communities, marking the government's latest complaint over high-fashion brands appropriating local styles.
According to the ministry, Marant's latest collection, including a long cape with stripes and starburst designs in gray and brown hues, includes elements from the Purepecha people of Mexico's Michoacan state.
"I ask you, Ms. Isabel Marant, to publicly explain on what grounds you privatize a collective property ... and how its use benefits the creator communities," Culture Minister Alejandra Frausto said in a letter to the designer.
"Some symbols that you took have a deep meaning for this culture," Frausto said, urging protection for the artisans who have historically been "invisible."
Marant's company, Isabel Marant, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The brand's website says it is committed to ethical and responsible behavior.
In 2015, the company was similarly accused of incorporating designs from Mexico's southern state of Oaxaca.
Last year, Mexico called out Venezuela-born designer Carolina Herrera and French fashion house Louis Vuitton for using traditional patterns in their designs, without regard for the people who first brought them to life.
#Mexico
#Isabel Marant
#French fashion designer
#Purepecha
#Michoacan
#Alejandra Frausto
#Carolina Herrera
#Louis Vuitton
#Culture