Is Kendall Jenner celebrating the Mexican culture...or appropriating it?
Unless you're stranded on an island with no Wifi or you live under a rock, you know that, recently, Kendall Jenner created her own Tequila company called "818." The twenty-five-year-old supermodel has faced lots of backlash on social media for her brand's advertisement, many criticizing her for appropriating Mexican women through her appearance, clothing, and inclusion of Mexican agave pickers.
Now, let's take a step back. Kendall is not the first non-hispanic celebrity to create a tequila company. A-listers including George Clooney, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Justin Timberlake have all created successful tequila brands that continue to fill empty glasses around the world. So, it's not Kendall's decision to partake in the industry that's upsetting, it's how she did it.
In her video campaign, Jenner replaced the usual designer garments with a straw hat, seemingly worn-in white shirt and linen long-sleeve top with faded stripes. Kendall also caused a stir with her choice to wear her hair in two braids; in an interview with Yahoo!Life, Latinx activist Jackie Mayorga expressed how this traditional hairstyle is worn by indigenous women in Mexico. Mayorga explained how that hairstyle is worn on special occasions and holidays by the majority of Mexican woman as a sign of paying "homage to our indigenous history" (Yahoo!Life).
Photo via Page 6
As if Kendall's choice to wear traditional garments as she walks through agave fields wasn't enough to spark controversy, Jenner also faces accusations of using Mexican farmers as "props." In her video, Kendall sips her tequila alongside native agave pickers in the back of a truck, portraying the idea that she's picking agave right alongside them. Kendall is trying to brand herself as down-to-earth, but instead it seems like she's trying to be someone she's not...at the expense of appropriating Mexican customs and culture.
Again, it's not the tequila itself that's the problem; it's the way Kendall promoted it that's insensitive. It would make more sense if Jenner's video consisted of her sipping her tequila in her Calabasas mansion with a Calvin Klein tee and slick bun instead of frolicking through agave fields. The supermodel captioned one of her Instagram posts with the statement, "What an incredible experience I've had thus far, learning about this beautiful place, it's beautiful culture, and the beautiful people!" (Instagram). Kendall could still celebrate the origin from where her tequila stems without inserting herself into the culture. She could celebrate "it's beautiful culture" and "the beautiful people" without wearing traditional braids. This campaign disaster is a reminder to respect and research the background of certain hairstyles or garments before wearing them. It's important that we celebrate different cultures, but avoid appropriating them. If Kendall stayed true to who she is--a multi-millionaire supermodel and celebrity--instead of adopting the Mexican customs, perhaps she could have avoided the hate around 818.
May 28, 2021
Written by Katelyn Kolberg
Comments