The idea of a cultural footprint is a fascinating one. Coming from India, we are only just starting to come up with an individual artistic voice that is modern. The effects of colonialism have been lasting and still permeate a large part my life, especially since my people, the Parsis, were favored by the British, hence adopting most of their ways.
Fashion is incredibly western in its setup. From the calendar, the silhouettes, both original and appropriated, and retail models, the west definitely has the biggest cultural footprint. But as time has gone on and cultures started to realize that large parts of their heritage had been appropriated, the idea of cultural appropriation has slowed down the rate of westernization.
I try my best to make my cultural footprint as big as possible. I like to consume large amounts of information about fashion, especially as a cultural phenomenon. Ever since I was 13, I have tried to watch every show in existence, in addition to reading books and watching movies that are considered to be culturally significant.
It is also interesting to see the effects of certain communities on culture, for example, LGBT+ culture has contributed significantly to fashion, film and so much more. So it is important to acknowledge the cultural footprint of people from different countries, ethnicities, orientations and more so that we can all increase our own and diversify them as well
