The Designer Of Summer Walker’s Elegant BET Awards Outfit Apologizes For Cultural Appropriation

26-year-old singer Summer Walker–who just announced that they’re pregnant with their second child–got some heat this weekend at the 2022 BET Awards, and I for one am a bit defensive about it because I love a good hoe-outfit. But we can be hoes without bastardizing other cultures. First, Summer shared a picture of themselves in a silver dangling tits-out, short skirt-outfit that would be acceptable in the strip club, a music video, or a Fast and the Furious set. But the people were not feeling it because it may have referenced some slaves of China? Yikes. Then Summer wore another elegant ensemble (above) and people accused Summer of sexualizing the people of Southwest China by appropriating the traditional Hmong jewelry.

Here’s the first outfit that got Summer in trouble.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfPQw7kJf8A/

According to Page Six, someone in their comments let Summer know that their outfit was actually appropriating a symbol used to identify Hmong people being fully enslaved:

As one commenter pointed out, Walker’s top is modeled after the Xauv, which “was once used as an item to identify Hmong people when we were enslaved by the Chinese people.” Now, the Xauv is worn to represent “freedom and independence.”

Summer next wore a similar revealing string of carefully placed shiny bits designed by Laurel Street:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CfSq8LvrUIf/

People quickly jumped on Summer:

Many on the platform swiftly criticized Walker, 26, for “sexualizing” the attire of the indigenous people, who primarily live in Southwest China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar.

“This ain’t it,” one Instagram user commented on their post, while others chimed in with “just no,” “oh nah” and “girl this is still not okay.”

Added another, “giving credit is nice but wearing it like this is still not cool.”

In an Instagram Story posted yesterday, Laurel Street wrote:

“I am of South Asian heritage I understand we should have mentioned the beautiful Hmong culture… I didn’t mean to offend any of you, I love to celebrate all cultures [and] diversity … I apologies [sic] for not sharing and educating on the history of the Hmong people and I will further educate myself… I understand a lot of you are offended that was not my intention at all … it was not our intention to sexualise [sic] theses [sic] pieces but more a celebration of life and the beauty of women.”

If you’re upset about Summer’s outfit, buckle up because this seems to be the sort of thing that Laurel Street gets up to on the usual:

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdLwPy8pqrd/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cdv5s4cJ4ro/

I’m honestly more surprised that someone wore an outfit designed by someone who hashtags Etsy on a red carpet than I am from the cultural appropriation. But hey, if Laurel Street loses customers over this, at least Iggy Azalea finds cultural appropriation “subjective” and loves skanky outfits–so they’ll always have a customer in her!

Pic: Xavier Collin/ABACA/INSTARimages