It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that the kimono is a traditional Japanese garment worn on special occasions.
Apparently that word hasn’t gotten to Kim Kardashian whose decided to call her new line of body shaping underwear Kimono.
She’s not only calling her new product that, but according to CNN, she’s applied to trademark the word.
That’s set off a firestorm in the Japanese community which has accused Kardashian of cultural appropriation.
“We wear kimonos to celebrate health, growth of children, engagements, marriages, graduations, at funerals. It’s celebratory wear and passed on in families through the generations,” one Japanese woman, Yuka Ohishi, told the BBC.
LATEST STORIES
“[This] shapewear doesn’t even resemble a kimono – she just chose a word that has Kim in it – there’s no respect to what the garment actually means in our culture.”
Others spoke out on Twitter.
AsAmNews has Asian America in its heart. We’re an all-volunteer effort of dedicated staff and interns. Check out our Twitter feed and Facebook page for more content. Please consider interning, joining our staff or submitting a story
RE: Kim Kardashian appropriates the kimono: Fully disgusting ignorance. Not only cultural appropriation, cultural insult. Western privilege, white privilege, class privilege, elitism.