The sambo caricature is still a thing. Or at least, that’s what Katy Perry Collections says with their very inappropriate pair of shoes that were just pulled from the market. This unfortunate design is strong evidence that laziness and a “whimsical approach towards life,” as Katy Perry expresses in her website, will eventually lead to consequences. Just a little piece of advice: none of this would have happened if the brand had a more inclusive and diverse board of directors. If something “seems” racist, it probably is.
Katy Perry has been infamously recognized for doing cultural appropriation more than once. Remember the time when she dressed up like a geisha at the AMAs? Or what about that time she wore cornrows for the “This Is How We Do” video? I’d like to think that this mistake in Katy Perry Collections involved her team of creators, but…
So, it’s not about going on a witch hunt based on Perry’s poor decision-making – I mean, even big fashion houses like Gucci and Prada have screwed up with lazy and offensive designs –, but if she’s determined to keep pursuing a career in fashion, and naming herself as the only creative mind behind her brand, then she better raise her game.
I know she meant no harm, but her ignorance and lack of design savvy resulted in something that is decidedly minstrelsy. In other words, the collection is supposed to reflect Perry’s “humor and extraordinary imagination,” but all we saw was blackface shoes, and this creative act, whether intentional or not, brings to mind all the historical stereotypes that depicted African-Americans as lazy, ignorant, superstitious, hypersexual, thieves, and cowards.
Not everything is problematic in Katy Perry’s collection, though. She has some very interesting, innovative, and appealing pieces in her line. However, she sure needs to tone it down with the faces, eyes, and mouths that have appeared throughout her collection: the problem isn’t that they’re not “creative,” Katy. The problem is they’re plain, dowdy, and above all, offensive.
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