Mexico Accuses Zara of Using Indigenous Textile Element
Mexico has accused popular clothing brands Zara, Patowl, and Anthropologic of using Mexican indigenous textile patterns and other elements in their collection without permission from the country’s ministry of culture.
City, Mexico
The ministry has sent letters to the three major labels to make it
clear in public on what grounds the collective property of the southern state
of Oaxaca’s indigenous people had been privatised. The clothing brands were
further asked to indicate how they were intending to compensate the affected
communities.
Minister Alejandra Frausto blasted the brands, telling them not to
undermine the economy and identity of the cultures and asked for changes to put
indigenous designers from 56 ethnic groups in Mexico on an equal level with the
major labels.
Frausto added that the protection of the rights of the indigenous
groups is an ethical principle that has been invisible historically and had to
be addressed locally and globally. She signed separate missives to each brand
pinpointing particular products at fault.
The ministry said that a midi dress from the Spanish firm Zara came
with a belt that incorporated Mixtec cultural elements from the Oaxaca
municipality in San Juan.
American brands Palowl and Anthropologie were accused of
making faithful copies of the Zapotec people’s traditional garments and
elements of the Mixe people respectively in their new range of apparel.
In the past, the country has called out French designer Isabel Marant,
Spanish companies Mango and Rapsodia, and designer Carolina Herrera for
appropriating indigenous Mexican designs.
Source – Firstpost
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