Rihanna is the latest cover girl for Harpers Bazaar China and the cover has caused a bit of controversy. The images depict Rihanna in traditional Chinese garb and while she looks absolutely stunning the imagery has raised the question of if she is participating in a bit of cultural appropriation.
See, Rih Rih is wearing clothes and participating in a tradition that is not her own, which is usually a red flag for people looking for examples of appropriation. Is it fair or foul?
https://twitter.com/georgieecw/status/1148673311343296520
The issues are even deeper because just a couple of weeks ago Kim Kardashian came under fire for trying to name a brand Kimono. The backlash was so intense that Kim had to change the name. Which all begs the question: what’s the difference between Rihanna’s look and Kim’s brand name? Well, for one, Rihanna was styled and photographed by a whole crew of Chinese people. Kim’s ideas came straight from her own culture vulture brain.
But is that still fair? Take a look at the debate raging across the internet.
