Questionable Couture: Furthering Stereotypes?

Victoria's Secret is apologizing after it dressed a model in a Native American-themed costume for its annual runway show. The lingerie company announced it will pull that part of the show from the fashion show set to air on television next month.

"If they were educated... I think they would have a greater understanding and be more respectful before they go on and place this is a commercial type venue," Gordon Yellowman, Sr., a chief of the Cheyenne tribe said.

Gordon Yellowman says the headdress, or war bonnet as it is called in the Cheyenne culture, is a sacred symbol. He says there is a powerful meaning to it, that his people take very seriously. Yellowman compares it to having a model walk the runway in a Catholic priest's headdress.

"Regardless is this war bonnet was a replica or wasn't a real one,  it's still has the spiritual intent of its power of representation. So when she put on that war bonnet, little did she know she had a battle on her hands," he said.

Yellowman said each headdress has to be earned by leaders in the tribe. In the Cheyenne culture, it is not worn by women.

Anastassia Menshikova, who lives in Oklahoma City, worked on the 2009 and 2010 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.  She said she understands where the design for this costume came from.

"They look at trends. They look at what's going on on the street, what's going on in popular culture and pull from that," Menshikova said.  

She said there is a big trend in Native prints and motifs right now, but she also does not agree with the headdress.

"I think for a national company, it wasn't the best decision. I think it's a very sensitive, sort of, cultural reference that could be mistaken and could be offensive. Its just like using any religious imagery," she said. "I think what happened is they always go for drama, they always go for over the top, and they obviously use feather for wings and thinks like that.  But, I think they get caught up in the aesthetic instead of the meaning of things."
Questionable Couture: Furthering Stereotypes?

Posted: Tuesday, November 13 2012, 10:31 PM CST