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Cultural appropriation of indigenous fashion has been much in the media in 2015. During both New York and Milan fashion weeks, designers showcased tribal styles. American Indian designers Jamie Okuma and Bethany Yellowtail contended that various designers had appropriated their own designs, let alone the techniques, forms and motifs of their tribes. Dsquared2 rather offensively used the hashtag #dsquaw (effectively the c word) on Twitter in conjunction with their runway show.

I can safely say that the brand is indeed built on cultural appropriation. This need not be a bad thing, though. To deny the cultural appropriation of First Nations material culture here would indeed come off as defensive. Instead, Inukt embraces the inuit heritage and it\'s love the the inuit culture.

Cultural appropriation, in its most basic definition, is simply one culture borrowing from another. It need not necessarily be violent or colonial or derogatory, though it can be all of those things as well. Cultural appropriation, in fact, is all around us. For example, it is foundational to contemporary food culture. I know I for one I am happy that I don\'t have to eat traditional English food all the time—I\'d much rather have a nice curry and some naan bread. It is also a cause for celebration in the United States, where everyone is Irish for a day on St. Patrick\'s Day and has license to guzzle margaritas on Cinco de Mayo.

Cultural appropriation has been vitally important in the world of fashion for centuries, and I\'m not just talking about non-Germans wearing lederhosen. Kimono sleeves from East Asia. Caftans from Africa (not a Halston invention as many people think). Paisley from India. These are all examples of cultural appropriation, as are most prints that aren\'t simple stripes or polka dots.

While we often think of cultural appropriation as Western cultures borrowing (or taking) from non-Western cultures, this borrowing can be Western to Western, non-Western to Western and non-Western to non-Western as well. For example, there is a famous photograph from the 1970s of First Nations painter Rita Letendre (Abenaki) wearing a Navajo squash blossom necklace. This, too, is a form of cultural appropriation.

Though cultural appropriation is all around us, it gets called cultural appropriation by academics (and being one, I should know) and in the media when it seems unethical or makes us uncomfortable, conjuring images of colonial or racial violence. The Okuma and Yellowtail example makes us uncomfortable because it is never okay to plagiarize another designer\'s work. The #dsquaw example makes us uncomfortable because of both the racial connotation and simply because it is never okay to call a woman the c word (maybe between very good friends out on a hen night, but that\'s about the only time).

So why is the Inukt brand an example of the kinder, gentler and more prevalent version cultural appropriation that has driven innovation in fashion for centuries? Because Inukt cares about people and those that are looking to bring inuit apparel into their lives, suck as women's moccasins.

Inukt merchandise is handmade with high quality materials by outstanding experts located in Canada (and NOT made by Foreign factory workers that receive slave wages).

A love and admiration of other cultures is a phenomenon as old as civilization itself. If somebody wishes to express that admiration by appreciating the beauty in that particular culture, then one can immerse themselves in that culture, as there is always something mystical and beautiful when resurrecting a style of the past to fit our current world.

If we continue to look at the matter as an us versus them scenario, our civilization as a whole will never get past the lower vibrations of guilt, shame and anger.

We all have the freedom of choice to embrace art and the beauty of the cultures that flourished on this planet. If we wish not to do so, then we should not act as an obstacle to those who do.

Inukt is a brand name of a Canadian inspired collection reinterpreted with an urban edge, that sells high quality traditional Canadian Inuit merchandise.

http://www.Inukt.com

http://www.amazon.com/shops/inukt