Rihanna Fans Defend Harper's Bazaar China Photoshoot After 'Cultural Appropriation' Claims

16 July 2019, 11:07

Rihanna Fans Defend Harper's Bazaar China Photoshoot After 'Cultural Appropriation' Claims
Rihanna Fans Defend Harper's Bazaar China Photoshoot After 'Cultural Appropriation' Claims. Picture: Getty

Rihanna fans defend the R&B star after she was called out for 'cultural appropriation'.

This July, Rihanna made her debut as the cover star for Harper's Bazaar China.

While some people were calling the R&B star out for "cultural appropriation", fans have now defended the 'Same Ol' Mistakes' singer, clapping back at claims the shoot was "offensive".

The initial backlash came in response to the Asian-themed photoshoot, which saw RiRi dressed in modern Chinese outfits, with her hair rolled up in a traditional way, with miniature fans and hair clips placed in the impressive up do.

One person of Twitter wrote: "Wait a minute when Kendal Jenner was on the cover of a magazine with an "afro" people were screaming cultural appropriation but when Rihanna dresses up like this nobody says anything, it's art, it's glam f*ck the double standards."

Another added: "I know we all love her, but why isn't this cultural appropriation? Or is it and nobody cares bc it's Rihanna? Or is it just "fashion"?"

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However, Rihanna stans are having none of it, pointing out: "Rihanna's Harper's Bazaar China photoshoot is not cultural appropriation at all. The whole team behind the photoshoot (stylist, photographers, chief/visual editors) were Chinese."

Another Twitter user said: "Rihanna did it for Harpers Bazaar China. She gave credit to the Chinese team who worked with her. They gave Rihanna permission therefore it's not cultural appropriation."

A third chimed in: "It's directed by Chinese artists in a Chinese mag published IN CHINA where the Chinese aren't a minority. Cultural appropriation happens when you take someone's culture for your own. Rihanna was literally dressed to pay homage to their culture. Appreciation, not appropriation."

What do you think about the shoot? Let us know @capitalXTRA.