“It is time to rethink the relationship between brands and society,” says brand expert Jane Cavalier. “Traditional brands have sold by selling an aspirational fantasy or identity without accountability, which is now being challenged by the cancel culture.”
Cancel culture, also known as "call-out culture," is a term used to describe a sort of ostracism in which someone is ejected from social or professional circles because of doing or saying something offensive or widely perceived as incorrect, typically online on social media.
The cancel culture is nothing new. For many years, we have held those in authority and influence accountable. What cancel culture is, in essence, is the most severe kind of social policing. However, with the advent of social media, it has become a tool for those who have been dealt the short end of the symbolic stick to be heard, and perhaps, focus attention on the sins of the powerful.
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The idea has frequently resulted in companies and creative directors being held responsible for a variety of unpleasant things in the fashion industry.
Recently, Balenciaga has been accused of sexually exploiting children after having child models pose with bears dressed in bondage gear. Bella Hadid recently deleted her Instagram posts where she was wearing Balenciaga and celebrities are distancing themselves. Even Kim Kardashian, one of the known faces of the brand says that she will evaluate the relationship with the brand.
Also, we can think of Kanye West facing sharp criticism after presenting t-shirts at Paris Fashion Week with the anti-white slogan "White Lives Matter."
Image Source: Balenciaga
One of the biggest controversies in the days before social media was John Galliano's anti-Semitic comments, which resulted in his firing from Dior in 2011. When Adele was called "a little too fat" and curvy women were told they had no place on the runway, the late Karl Lagerfeld was also criticized for several comments that involved fat-shaming.
At the height of Instagram's popularity, the industry’s “regulatory body” account Diet Prada emerged and has since grown to become a platform for the voiceless in the industry. With its circle of influence widening, Diet Prada now draws attention to issues beyond aesthetics alone.
Image Source: Daze
But the industry's cancel culture presents a problem.
On the one hand, it has assisted in bringing proper justice to individuals who had been repeatedly abusing their position and thinking that they could get away with it. On the other hand, it could have resulted in a scenario where artists are afraid to push the boundaries out of worry about offending. Although not necessarily considered an art form, fashion is related to art in that they are both greatly influenced by inspiration, therefore this notion is not totally baseless.
There have been cases where failures in judgment have led to public complaints. Designers frequently use a variety of references from several sources, including anything from culture, art, music, and even personal experiences. Hardly anything ever emerges out of nothingness.
For instance, artistic director Kim Jones used African culture and art as the inspiration for the Dior Men spring/summer 2021 collection. A white man referencing Black culture has never been a good look, so that may have raised red flags on its own, but that was far from culture stealing. In this case, Jones has a connection to Africa since he spent his youth moving over the continent and frequently refers to it as his home.
According to Tom Ford, "cancel culture" has forced artists to "think twice" about their works. He also said: “Cancel culture inhibits design because rather than feeling free, the tendency is to start locked into a set of rules. Everything is now considered appropriation. We used to be able to celebrate other cultures. Now you can’t do that.”
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