London Fashion Week is nothing without a bit of controversy and it seems that Fall 2015 was unfortunately not an exception to the rule. The collection which had the most lasting affect for me was Caitlin Price. From the outset it looked wonderful and the clothes were this amazing blend of sportswear luxe and runway carpet dress but ugh, we just have to talk about the gelled baby hairs first. Now, Susie Bubble defended the creative choice and mentioned something along the lines of white people doing this long before it became the Internet sensation that it has now but when I tried to research about styled babyhairs in a historic context, I couldn't find anything. Which leads me to believe that it's all bullshit and in any case, its very clear what aesthetic Price used as her inspiration. In any case it does not seem correct for someone who is white to profit off a subculture or hairstyle which was created out of necessity by women of colour. It's also worth mentioning that the opinion of someone who is Chinese, regarding cultural appropriation or the social struggles of black women is inconsequential. While I was impressed with the pleated silk ribbons and intricate spirals on tracksuits and dresses alike, I can't help but feel guilty about liking this collection. I am in love with the idea of Princess Leia out jogging in some of these crazy outfits with her signature buns. However, I'm disappointed that not more people were calling out cultural appropriation for what it was, and that people were willing to actively defend it. If you are confused about this, or do not see what the issue is I highly recommend watching this video by Amandla Stenberg. Also, just on a final note, I was also grossed out when scanning the comments section on instagram that two users were arguing over who could do the best babycurls? Like literally two girls were stroking each others egos, AS IF YOU SHOULD COMPETE OVER WHO CAN PERPETUATE CULTURAL APPROPRIATION, LIKE WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU???
*Images via Fashion Glossary UK
