Romania ・ Cultural appropriation

Romanian rhapsody: Louis Vuitton accused of cultural theft

08 June 2024

Romania’s culture minister is calling foul play over Louis Vuitton's latest collection, with the government accusing the French fashion house of appropriating traditional Romanian blouse designs without proper recognition.

The controversy was sparked by the online community "La Blouse Roumaine", which claimed Vuitton's 2024 line featured unmistakable inspiration from Romania's embroidered heritage blouse, called "ie", also recognised as Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The minister has demanded Vuitton acknowledge the origins, but the brand has yet to respond.


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