Five celebrities accused of cultural appropriation that prove Chinese prom dress debate is not the first
A US teen caused debate online after wearing a traditional Chinese dress to her prom, but she is not alone. A long list of celebrities have come under fire in recent times for adopting the traditional garb of a nation or religion
The 18-year-old’s choice of attire caused quite a stir online recently, with the dress traditionally symbolising a silent protest to promote gender equality after the fall of the dynasties and the beginning of the republican period in the early 1900s.
Here are five celebrities who also found themselves in hot water over their choice of dress.
1. Beyoncé
Just last month Beyoncé was called out for cultural appropriation when she channelled ancient Egyptian queen Nefertiti at the Coachella music festival in the US. The centrepiece outfit was a headdress and full-body costume inspired by Queen Nefertiti.
2. Katy Perry
In 2013, the American singer caused a stir in Japan when she was accused of appropriating the Japanese culture by depicting a geisha at the Video Music Awards performance. Perry was dressed in a kimono and tabi socks, and styled with lacquered hair and traditional geiko make-up.
3. Selena Gomez
In 2013, Gomez came under fire for wearing a sparkling bindi, a Hindu religious ornament, while performing Come & Get It at the MTV Movie Awards.
4. Lady Gaga
In the wake of the Iraq war, nothing could have been more provocative than Lady Gaga’s decision to wear a neon pink burka in Philip Treacy’s London Fashion week in 2012.
5. Rihanna
In 2013, the pop star was asked to leave the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi after using the location as a backdrop for photos during her Diamonds World Tour. The singer was snapped in a tight black jumpsuit and a hijab, a religious head covering worn in public by some Muslim women.
