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Is cultural appropriation the new black? It certainly seems to be the hottest trend in the fashion industry: every other week there is a row over the subject.

The latest offender is the Japanese fashion house Comme des Garons, which has been criticised for putting white models in cornrow wigs. In an apology, the stylist, Julien dYs, seemed to suggest that the wigs werent meant to be cornrows a traditionally black hairstyle but a nod to Egyptian pharaoh hair, to which the internet replied: why not use Egyptian models?

Is it problematic for white models to wear cornrows or wigs like an Egyptian? The answer is: Sometimes; maybe; it depends. What constitutes cultural appropriation is complex and nuanced. Alas, the conversation around the subject is frequently anything but.

On one hand, you have a small group of vocal people who enjoy taking offence at everything remember when Lena Dunham suggested that bad cafeteria sushi was cultural appropriation? On the other hand, you have bigots who seem to think it is clever to say things such as: Non-white people wearing suits is cultural appropriation. The concept has lost all meaning and become a straw man to be kicked around in the culture wars.

Comme des Garons doesnt have the most politically correct history. In 2018, the fashion website Heroine noted that the brand hadnt used a black model in a womens presentation for 24 years (although it started using them again soon after).

Parading white models with black hairstyles down the catwalk was spectacularly thoughtless. Or perhaps it wasnt. The frequency of cultural appropriation controversies makes me suspect that some brands are deploying them as a PR tool. After all, no publicity is bad publicity comme les Kardashians are well aware.

Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist

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Are rows over cultural appropriation a dastardly PR ploy? - The Guardian