About
An inquiry in the fashion industry's use of Asian and Caucasian models in advertisements and fashion shoots in Singapore. Studying the factors that result in the frequent use of Caucasian models in fashion shoots and the frequent delineation of Asian models in advertisements
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Colonialism
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Singapore was a colonial country and was under British law from 1819 to 1959 Before the colonial of British the people who left their mark on this ancient history were Chinese, Malays, Indians and others, who were essentially of the same ethnic stock as the people who constitute the racial mix in Singapore nation today. The settlers of Singapore come from many different countries of the world and each and every one of them still practices their own culture despite settling in a new place. Singapore contains an epitome of the population of the whole Archipelago, and indeed of continental India also. Chinese Malays, Bugis, Javanese, Balinese, natives of Bengal and Madras, Parsees, Arab and Caffrees, are to be found within the circuit of a few miles, each people forming a separate community, and retaining its customs as completely as if it had never been transplanted. Thus, before the British settles in, Singapore is a place with no identity.
In 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of Singapore, set up a trading post for the British East India Company when he arrives in Singapore. It was then the start of colonialism and Western modernity. The British began ruling and molding Singapore using their British system, westernized and gave Singapore an identity. The establishment of Singapore as an entreport with free-port status; the building of a modern city and other infrastructures; the creation of governmental institutions, civil and legal services; the provision of education and medical services and so on were without doubt British achievements that have contributed to the establishment of a ‘modern’ Singapore. Not only is the history of Singapore inseparable from a colonial moment but its identity and cultural location are a direct result of broader discourses of imperialism and Western modernity. Thus, it is not surprising that Singapore’s culture, values and lifestyle is somehow an influence from the Western civilization.
English language was first introduced to Singapore when it was founded by the British in 1819. The schools were built by the Europeans and majority of the teachers were Caucasians. Children who went to school were all educated in English. Majority of the television programs, magazines, newspapers, books and even radio broadcast were all in English. Likewise, the six main factors that contributed to the spread of English during this time period: (1) the increase of government administration; (2) the development of infrastructure and communication; (3) the expansion of commerce; (4) an increasing population of a local English-educated elite; (5) English-language films; and (6) increased access to education. The strong demand for English that arose reinforced the English’s prestige position: During this early period in Singapore’s history, it became very apparent that one would have to learn English in order to negotiate with the higher powers of society – namely, the government and judiciary system, as well as commercial forces. As the publications were all in-charged by the Europeans, needless to say, the models featured in fashion magazines were undoubtedly Caucasians. Hence, since then the society are so used to seeing Caucasian models being featured in magazines that their eyes were trained to relate Caucasians with photo shoots for magazines. Therefore, till now, even Singapore has its own publication; Caucasian models are still widely seen in magazines.
Though Singapore is a westernized country, Singaporeans nonetheless possess Asian values. After Singapore gain independence during the 1980s, Singapore government foresees the upshot of the country’s future under the influences of the Western values – “individualism, hedonism and generally self-centered ‘anti-social’ habits”, would affect the growth of the society. Singaporeans will suffer if they become mere copies of Westerners because they will lose the edge that allows Singapore to be competitive in the international economy. The former Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew noted: “If they are to develop, people in new countries cannot afford to imitate the fads and fetishes of the contemporary West. The strange behaviour of demonstration and violence-prone young men and women in wealthy America, seen on TV and newspapers, are not relevant to the social and economic circumstances of new underdeveloped countries”. In order to “Asianize” Singapore and embrace Singaporeans with Asian values, the Singapore government adopted a number of policies in an attempt to safeguard Singaporeans from the perceived influences of these so-called decadent Western values. Singaporean political leaders along with others in the Asian region began advocating the importance of the role of ‘Asian values’ in the economic, social and political development of their country. The ultimate aim is to create a culture that is not Western, is modern, and is Asian.
Racial Stereotyping
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Asian women since long time ago had been stereotyped as submissive, demure and vulnerable. In the past women in the traditional Chinese family were inferior and were regarded as disposable merchandise – they can be purchased, pawned, bought and sold as daughters, slaves, servants, prostitutes and even brides. Women themselves too, think that in a traditional family life, they are meant to be treated in such manner – submission to men as fathers or husbands or sons, suppression of feelings, especially of anger, and lack of warmth. Lillian Comas-Diaz and Beverly Greene, the authors of the book “Women Of Colour”, points out how are Asian women stereotyped as and the few popular image of Asian women are “sexual labor” for the male soldiers during the war period and also for tourist, “androgynous beings” because Asian women workers are “asexual, unattractive, impersonal yet efficient worker” and this image “fuels the use of a divisive rhetoric that elevates democracy and individualism by disparaging other social systems and equating them with the absence of identity and beauty”, and lastly, the “domestic servants”. Comas-Diaz and Greene also points out that Asian cultures themselves impose devaluing sanctions against their women, which reinforce the majority view of Asian women as inferior and submissive. Asian cultures built on the philosophies of Confucius are particularly oppressive toward women. In these Asian societies, women in particular are subjected to the collective control exerted by family, community, and the patriarchs. She is likely to have been indoctrinated to embody deference, acceptance of suffering, and personal sacrifice, all of which are consistent with the prevailing stereotypes. Being classify as inferior and subservient, Asian women therefore tends to appear lesser in fashion shoot and was portrayed more in lifestyle shoot instead.
Cultural Differences
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The difference in Western culture and Asian culture plays a huge role in depicting how models are viewed. The definition of Western culture according to a web article describes, “Western culture is a body of knowledge derived from reason. This foundation of reason has made possible a vast accumulation of understanding related to reality or nature, including human nature. This understanding is represented in several core ideals and values, which include individualism, happiness, rights, capitalism, science and technology. Western culture can also be referred to as advanced culture; this is because its ideas and values promote the development and sustainment of advanced civilization." As people became more conscious of a personal identity (individuation), they developed and accepted individualism, that radical idea that the individual is to be valued. While this process occurred around the world in metropolitan cultures, individualism became a dominant value only in the West. Thus, in Western values, individualism and rights are important values for each individual as it represents an identity – usually independent, self-sufficiency and have a mind of her or his own. A person with this identity often has an aura of power and confidence. Hence, this explains the frequent portrayal of Caucasian models in fashion related photography.
Asian culture and values is originated in Confucianism. Humaneness, filial piety, integrity, modesty and education are some of the significant factors of Confucian theory. Unlike Western culture – values individualism, Asian culture emphasis on collectivism. Asians view the society as a whole and put the states above themselves. Family and mutual respect are also very important in Asian culture. Asian values are a set of ideals which include an emphasis on the community rather than individual, the privileging of social order and harmony over individual freedom, an insistence on hard work, a particular emphasis on saving and thriftiness, a respect for political leadership, a belief that government and business need not necessarily be natural adversaries, and an emphasis on family loyalty. Having the understanding of Asian culture in mind, Asian models were thus being portrayed widely in lifestyle ads and family scene related ads.
Physical Proportion
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Caucasian models physical proportion is closer to the ideal model proportion. A survey on whether it is true that Caucasian models have stronger physique than Asian models and the majority agreed with this phenomenon. Most of them think that Caucasians has got stronger features and versatile look. And Asians tends to emulate that look whether is it through multiple plastic surgeries or visiting slimming centers to “modify” themselves to look more prominent. So, who defines what the ideal model proportion is?
The origin of the ideal model proportion was an influence from the West. The standard of the ideal beauty has always been idealistic and hard to achieve The ancient Greeks were the ones who attempted to define ideal beauty. Beauty was being defined in the perspective of Art. Renowned historical figures from the West such as Polyclitus from Greece, Praxiteles from Greece, Marcus Vitruvius Pollio from Rome, Masaccio from Italy, Leonardo da Vinci from Italy, Albrecht Durer from German, Agnolo Firenzuola from Italy, Sandro Botticelli from Italy and Peter Paul Rubens from Flemish, are important people who help define ideal beauty. In 19th century during the Victorian era in European countries, their costumes are mostly corsets, crinoline and bustles and were designed to be very tight at the waist area to define the hip and tiny waist. All these have shown that idea of an ideal model proportion started from the Western countries, therefore logically, the Western countries will have more women with ideal model proportion figures than Asian countries.
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