Frida(khalo)mania:
What's Dior got to do with it?
Hi, if you are new to this newsletter my name is Veronica Pesantes, aka Vero Santes, I am a bicultural (Ecuador🇪🇨 & USA🗽) Gen X single mum who writes about culture, personal transformation, and decolonizing (no worries if this is a vague concept, after a while you will get the hang of it!) I am what a millennial would call a multi-hyphenate: a creative entrepreneur, writer, educator, art historian, activist, yogi, etc. I made it a goal for this year to give myself space to share what inspires me, what heals me and to build a community via this weekly email. During Covid my sustainable textile brand The Onikas came to a screeching halt as the world shut down. The pandemic pause gave me a chance to dig deeper into my academic side and delve back into the my twin interests: Colonialism and Art History. Like many women who study Art History Frida Kahlo was my first artist crush, and in this essay I explore how her image has been coopted and commodified by brands at every price point, from Chinese fast fashion behemoth Shien to French luxury brand Dior, from low to “high” fashion.
What do the mega luxury brand Dior and Frida Kahlo have to teach us about cultural appropriation and Colonialism? A TON! Let’s begin with Kahlo, the iconic woman artist. In May of 2023 Dior staged a lavish runway show in Mexico City which they described as an “homage” to Frida Kahlo. They are not alone , the fetishism of all things Frida is rampant, her image has been plastered on tote bags, candles, tequila bottles, Converse sneakers, Forever 21 tee shirts and even a Mattel™️ Barbie. As an art historian of Latin American Culture I can tell that you Frida would hate this so much given her deep aversion to capitalism. In her bio, David Martín Del Campo describes her as a “militant, anti-capitalist, communist and feminist…(but) what they celebrate now are the superficial aspects of her and the way she dressed…the mass merchandising of her image trivializes her and is exploitation." Exactly, but in this case the appropriation is obfuscated by the “superior” taste of a European luxury house that has “taken” inspiration from her life and style while ignoring her politics.
The rich cultural history of Mexico includes artisan traditions that act as deep cultural signifiers, and many of the Dior pieces included the work of master embroiderers and artisans from Oaxaca and Chiapas. ➡️ An official Dior press stated the collection was"conceived as an actual research project, allowing an in-depth study of the social and historical implications of craft culture" which "creates a space to explore and showcase a series of works undertaken by various Indigenous communities." There is no question that the team behind the Dior collection tried to do the right thing but for me it misses the larger picture. The actual indigenous communities, the names of the artisans and more importantly the historical, cultural and spiritual significance of the textiles were acknowledged via via social media. But, for me, another issue is the vast financial gulf between what said artisans were paid and the cost of the garments sold, but that is for another day…
Again, the gulf between what indigenous artisans make and what mega fashion conglomerates make would piss of the very communist Frida (Dior group’s revenue in 2022 was $50.6 BILLION) Just read the title of the painting seen here “Peace on Earth so the Marxist Science may Save the Sick and Those Oppressed by Criminal Yankee Capitalism.” 🚨Shocker: Kahlo's radical politics were white-washed by Dior! A life-long communist she said “I wish to cooperate with the Revolution in transforming the world into a classless one so that we can attain a better rhythm for the oppressed classes.” I have no doubt that "Friducha" is turning in her grave at being invoked in such a flagrant display of hyper-consumption elitism.
Dior attempted to dodge accusations of cultural appropriation by working closely with the Mexican government, casting Mexican models and commissioning Mexican artisans for much of the embroidery work. However, many Mexican activists criticized Dior’s voyeuristic, idealized version of Mexico and their unoriginal choice of Kahlo. After all, brands love to use Frida’s image to sell product while turning a blind eye to the USA’s cruel immigration policies towards Mexican immigrants.
By idealizing a vision of a colorful, vibrant and Frida-washed Mexico Dior has cast a culturally appropriating colonial gaze once again. They have staged similar shows in India and Africa where the othering Global North/Global South binary is also omnipresent. Dior produces the “Fashion” (as an aspirational signifier of taste) and the Mexican artisans and their “craftspeople” are magnanimously included under the umbrella of European “luxury.” According to Dior director Maria Grazia Chiuri, “you have to give the original sources a contemporary attitude attractive to any cool young girl anywhere — this is fashion after all." Exactly, THIS definition of Fashion is always White, preferably European, and very expensive -- indigenous Mexican garments on their own could never be labeled as “fashion” in the colonial narrative of global luxury brands. #fashion #diormexico #decolonize