Dior sparks cultural appropriation controversy with Native American-inspired campaign

Dior has been accused of cultural appropriation after it released a preview of its new Native American-inspired fragrance campaign for “Sauvage”.

On Friday, the French fashion house shared two Instagram posts of dancer Canku Thomas One Star, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota.

In the first post, Canku One Star can be seen performing the “Fancy War Dance” to the sound of drums while dressed in a traditional ensemble. The clip is narrated: “We are the land. Dior.”

The brand captioned the short clip: “An authentic journey deep into the Native American soul in a sacred, founding and secular territory.

“A film developed as a close collaboration between the House of Dior and Native American consultants from the 50-year-old Indigenous advocacy organisation Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) in order to respect Indigenous cultures, values and heritage.”

In the second post, the brand elaborated on its newest campaign for the fragrance, captioning images of Canku One Star dancing: “With images saturated with colours and emotions, @c1star performs the mesmerising Fancy War Dance that embodies all the modernity of the Native American Culture.”

Despite reiterating it had collaborated with Native American consultants, the brand has received widespread criticism in the hours since it unveiled the campaign.

In addition to accusations of cultural appropriation, some have alleged the campaign is “racist”.

“Please, delete this campaign,” one person wrote. “It’s offensive, colonialist and racist.”

Another said: “Absolutely not. This is blatant colonialism and along with the name ‘sauvage’? Yikes.”

“Wow really throwing it back to the heart of racism and genocide in America,” someone else commented. “Quality work, creative team.”

In a press release for the fragrance campaign, which is relaunching a scent first released in 2015 and previously advertised by Johnny Depp, the brand said the film is meant to be a continuation of Depp’s last fragrance film, which saw him riding in the desert of the American West.

The press release, according to People, continues: “As soon as we began to evoke Native American imagery and symbols in this new film, the House of Dior, Jean-Baptiste Mondino and Johnny Depp immediately decided to contact Native American consultants who are enrolled citizens of the Comanche, Isleta and Taos Pueblos and the Pawnee Nation, with years of experience fighting cultural appropriation and promoting authentic inclusion.”

According to the brand, the project had a “shared aim” - “moving away from clichés in order to avoid the cultural appropriation and subversion that so often taints images representing Native peoples” and that each detail was discussed with AIO consultant Ron Martinez “Looking Elk”.

This is not the first time the French luxury brand has been accused of cultural appropriation. Last year, the brand came under criticism for appropriating Mexican culture with its Cruise campaign featuring Jennifer Lawrence.

The Independent has contacted Dior for comment.