Is adopting Chinese fashion appropriation or appreciation? Artisans weigh in on the debate

As international fashion companies increasingly incorporate traditional Chinese design elements into their collections, accusations of cultural appropriation have flooded social media. In recent years, brands such as Zara and Adidas have been criticised for adopting Chinese tailoring features such as Mandarin collars and pankou, or frog buttons. While Zara drew backlash for mislabelling these elements as generic “fireman clasps” without acknowledging their heritage, Adidas sparked debate over...