Appropriation

Banana Republic is selling hijabs, joining a growing list of consumer goods companies coming out with products aimed at Muslim women. The headscarves are available online.

They’ve even got an influencer touting their new offerings. “excited to announce that [Banana Republic] just launched hijabs! Can you even recognize me in a print?”

Sorry, WithLoveLeena, but no, I don’t. Then again, there aren’t any influencers who I actually would recognize. So, nothing personal. (And it’s not as if there’s any influencer out there who cares to influence the likes of me, either.)

Anyway, I assume the Banana Republic did their market research and figured out that, even if Muslims make up only 1% of the U.S. population, it’s worthwhile to have products that cater to this niche. Especially when you consider that Banana Republic is a global brand, and while there aren’t a ton of Muslims here, they do make up about one-quarter of the world’s population. And with most traditional retailers feeling so much heat from online shops and insta-fashion brands, it’s natural that they’ll want to reach out to as many new consumers as possible.

The growing popularity of “modest” clothing lines and hijabs at mainstream stores signals a shift, analysts say, in retailers’ attitudes toward inclusion and diversity. The apparel industry is undergoing massive change, and analysts say companies are having to rethink their products to attract new shoppers. Many are using their websites as a way to reach groups they might have ignored in traditional stores, where the focus has long been on stocking shelves with items that will appeal to the largest swath of consumers. (Source: WaPo)

And there’s gold in them thar hijab-wearing hills. Muslim are projected to spend $373 billion in 2022.

Plus I’m guessing there will be others who adopt some of the “modest” clothing – long skirts, high-necked tunics, long cardigans – for fad/fashion reasons. Sounds perfect for us olds.

In addition to the desire to tap into a lucrative market, companies that bring out a Muslim line can (virtue) signal that they’re woke, that they value diversity and inclusivity.

Inevitably, the inevitable happened:

Some shoppers, though, said they felt conflicted about major retailers getting into the hijab business. Was it inclusion, they wondered, or the appropriation of a religious symbol for the sake of their bottom line?

WithLoveLeena is one of those who’s wondering.

“On the one hand, it does feel like they’re profiting off of us,” said Leena Snoubar, 25… “But on the other, it’s a way to normalize hijab and make us feel more included."

Well, profiting from a market is what business is all about. If a business can’t profit from you, they won’t make products to sell to you. And you’ll be out of luck. (That is, unless that business is Wayfair or Uber. For now. I assume that, at some point, even these outfits will have to start turning a profit. Or else. Which would be too bad, because it’s actually fun to get up in the middle of the night and scroll through three-thousand pages of throw pillows. And it’s wildly convenient to whistle up an Uber if you want to get somewhere without having to drive, walk, or public transpo to it.)

As for normalizing the hijab, all I can say it’s infinitely preferable to normalize an article or clothing than it is to normalize a no-nothing, violence-encouraging, deeply damaged racist. Just sayin’.

And fashion – like language, food, culture, etc. – has always been about borrowing from “the other".

Why not feel free to wear a French beret with your Aran Island sweater.

Me, I’m glad there are bon mai trucks everywhere. That pasta and red sauce is an American staple. And I feel pretty strongly that if someone wants to wear a kimono, they should go right ahead.

As long as it’s done with some modicum of respect, I say appropriate away!

It’s how cultures grow and become more interesting. If we all end up wearing something that looks like a hijab this winter, if it keeps the cold out, I’m all for it.