Face of Nation : In one photo, Rihanna gazes down, a dainty Chinese fan in one hand and a bright red sash around her waist. In another, she poses in front of a traditional folding screen, the golden ornaments in her hair reminiscent of the royal fashions of ancient China.
These photos, posted by Harper’s Bazaar China on Tuesday, are set to appear on the cover and a feature of the magazine’s August issue. They were intended to show what happens “when western style icon meets eastern aesthetic,” the publication said on Instagram. But online reaction has been split.
Some social media users have heaped praise on the images, while others expressed concern about whether it’s acceptable for a non-Chinese person to adorn themselves with items from the country’s history and culture.
“She snapped but…isn’t….that…cultural appropriation?!?!” wrote one Twitter user, with “snapped” being a term for high praise. “Love Rihanna but we can’t accept everything she does cause it’s her,” wrote another.
The debate on cultural appropriation — who can wear what, and under which circumstances — has existed for years, though it has become increasingly high-profile.
Just last month, Kim Kardashian West was accused of cultural appropriationafter she launched a lingerie brand called Kimono — also the name of a centuries-old Japanese garment. Several other models and designers have been called out for cultural appropriation in recent years — Karlie Kloss for dressing like a Japanese geisha in the pages of Vogue, Gigi Hadid for being styled with an afro (also in Vogue) and Kylie Jenner for wearing cornrows.
Rihanna has previously come under fire herself — in October 2017, she was criticized for dressing like the ancient Egyptian queen Nefertiti in a photo shoot for Vogue Arabia.
And yet, this time around, there is a contrast between audiences in mainland China, who have largely complimented the shoot, and audiences overseas, who seem more conflicted.
On the Chinese micro-blogging platform Weibo, the majority of comments about Harper’s Bazaar cover appeared positive. “No wonder she is the Queen of Shandong (province),” one user wrote, using a nickname Chinese fans have given Rihanna. “She is a foreigner that is most suitable to the Chinese style.”
“It looks so good! Slay! The Chinese style compliments her so well,” another user wrote, while other Weibo comment threads are filled with heart emojis and exclamations of “wow” and “beautiful!”
