NYT: All fashionable Asians in the Lower East Side are non-American
by Carmen Van Kerckhove
Racialicious reader Katie points us to this little gem in The New York Times that totally promotes the Asians as perpetual foreigners stereotype. Here’s what Katie says:
There’s this little piece on the fashion of Asians – apparently NOT Asian-Americans – hanging out on the Lower East Side. The verbiage is… problematic. The piece is titled “The Lower (Far) East Side,” but unless they asked for the citizenship of everyone who they photographed or interviewed for the piece, it looks like they’re lumping us all into exotic-Asian-from-a-faraway-place-with-
strange-fashion-taking-over-US.
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Latoya Peterson wrote:
Boo to the NYT.
(Though, I must shamefacedly admit that the fashionista in me was more upset than my anti-racism activist side. Fashionista saw the shoes bottom left and was like – that isn’t far east, those are Sugars! I bought a pair from Zappos! It is an insult to kawaii fashion to take one cool accessory and act like it’s a racial thing.)
The girl in the pink tee looks like someone I know…
Posted 17 May 2007 at 2:35 pm ¶
wendi wrote:
The NYT isn’t ENTIRELY wrong. I went to school near St. Mark’s, which is one of my old haunts (though I wouldn’t necessarily consider it the LES…it’s very much just part of the plain old East Village, but whatev…). True, a lot of the patrons in the area are Asian or Asian-American. BUT, I agree that a little more about the actual nationalities of the respondents should have been included. Sometimes you hear Asian languages, particularly Japanese, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the people speaking them are not American. I also think it’s funny that in the article, the focus is exclusively on Asians and *their* funky style, when in actually, the majority of people who hang out in the neighborhood (of all races) have an *alternative* style. . . not just the Asian/APAs…
Posted 17 May 2007 at 3:38 pm ¶
Koko wrote:
Yea….NYT screwed up…
I believe the whole purpose was to perpetuate a stereotype cause all them pics aren’t even that unique or innovative. I see people who dress to that magnitude every day. And plenty.
Posted 17 May 2007 at 3:57 pm ¶
Revolution wrote:
oh my. *blink* *blink* yeah, looking at this article, there’s not a single garment or hairstyle that doesn’t have a similar counterpart at any trendy hipster store. This country gives me a headache.
Posted 17 May 2007 at 6:00 pm ¶
April wrote:
Okay, that is some seriously stupid shit.
Posted 17 May 2007 at 7:09 pm ¶
James wrote:
Priceless.
Posted 17 May 2007 at 8:02 pm ¶
Eun-jung wrote:
I think everyone already said what all my immediate reactions were to this monstrosity.
LaToya – on a side note: are you from DC? There was a similar article about Asian-Americans style in a small print of a DC magazine that was trying to be “hip and innovative” and just ended up sounding so stereotypical and wrong.
I’ll try to find the clipping somewhere, I think I kept it in case I ever needed something to help me puke.
Posted 18 May 2007 at 7:34 am ¶
Katie wrote:
I am in DC – I would love to know about it too!
Posted 18 May 2007 at 8:22 am ¶
Katie wrote:
Ok, because I have a bee in my bonnet about this shit, I wrote the NYT a letter. Thanks, Carmen, for the “perpetual foreigner” phrase, and thanks, Latoya, for the Sugar shoes tip. Here it is, for anyone who’s interested.
Dear NYT,
As much as I would really love for there to be more Asian American representation in US media, I must say I was hugely disappointed in your piece on “(Far) East” style in yesterday’s Styles section. By classifying all the people photographed for your piece – and all those of Asian descent hanging out on the LES – as having “pour[ed] into this grotty swath of Manhattan from cities as far-flung as Tokyo, Singapore and Seoul,” you paint us as perpetual foreigners in this country.
Unless Ruth La Ferla and Elizabeth Lippman asked for the citizenship status of everyone they interviewed and photographed (which would be problematic in its own right), it seems that they decided to assume based on racial phenotype that we’re all from some faraway exotic place that breeds strange fashion choices and a predilection for green tea tiramisu. Guess what? Those shoes in the lower right of the photo montage are all but identical to those sold by an American brand called Sugar. And I’d be willing to bet my last dime that most of the people in the piece are American citizens.
It’s funny how insults can sometimes be disguised as compliments. Next time, don’t do us Asians and Asian Americans any favors by segregating us into a little article that purports to celebrate fashion (by complimenting styles to be found in any hipster enclave across the country) while really exoticizing our race.
Sincerely,
Katie
Posted 18 May 2007 at 9:00 am ¶
Carmen Van Kerckhove wrote:
Nice work, Katie!
Posted 18 May 2007 at 9:03 am ¶
Latoya Peterson wrote:
Fabulous Katie.
Now, it is a well known fact that American fashion rips from three major influences – Italy, France, and Japan…but that magazine was pulling at straws man. I didn’t see anything remarkable about the outfits/accessories that I couldn’t wander by my local mall and pick up. Now the stuff in Fruits/S Cawaii/the Gothi-Loli Bible…THAT is a feat to recreate stateside.
Eun-Jun:
Hey, haven’t seen a comment from you in a while! Yes, I am from outside of DC (the suburbs of Silver Spring). I think the mag you might be thinking of is DC Style. It’s relatively new and still trying to find its voice. It could have also been the Washingtonian, but they keep away from most of the fashion bits. I haven’t read too much of DC Style (the local mags around here are getting ridiculous) but I’ll keep an eye out.
Posted 18 May 2007 at 9:28 am ¶
Katie wrote:
Thanks!
Posted 18 May 2007 at 11:05 am ¶
susanc wrote:
Go Katie! Loved your letter!
On a side note, I was just as upset the other night after watching Paula Zahn’s show on Asian Americans, “Asians in America” (the title being one of many issues I had with that episode). I just wish I had thought to use the phrase “perpetual foreigner” when I wrote the show to give them a piece of my mind!
Posted 18 May 2007 at 12:34 pm ¶
trixnee wrote:
Without even reading the NYT article, I too had come to such a conclusion. Us foreigners (non Asians as well) have our own sense of style that really stands out in America. I can spot a European/Africa/Asian FOB from a mile away, because I also am one. American style is VERY predictable, I have yet to meet an Asian American that I had wrongly assumed to be FOB Asian.
Posted 19 May 2007 at 12:22 am ¶
JC wrote:
Although the way NYT presented is wrong, but I do find that Asian-Asians dress differently than Asian Americans. Unless they’re into Asian POP culture (watching Anime, listening to J/K/C-POP, etc), Asian American kids tends to dress like either whites or blacks. The kids from Asia have their own styles, stemming mostly from Japan and Korea. The only Asian-American kids I know who dress that way are those who ID with current Asian cultures. I’m Asian American BTW.
On a side note – I do find Asians (in general) who dress like Asians more confident and attractive in general. I think it’s better than copying from whites or blacks all the time.
Posted 19 May 2007 at 9:27 am ¶
Eun-jung wrote:
I know!! I haven’t been commenting just because of a lot of other crap going on in my life – but I have been reading!
Katie – terrific letter. And you’re from DC too? Terrific, maybe we could have a “blog” party with LaToya. hahaha…
LaToya – I think it was DC Styles, if I can remember correctly. I spent all yesterday cleaning out my closets and boxes of random pieces of paper and couldn’t find it though.
It is interesting to see though – that this is not the first time I have seen Asian-Americans displayed as fashion experts by exploiting their “exotic look”. And unfortunately, big cities tend to be the main culprits. I get a lot of looks when I am out in DC… and a lot of people have pointed out to me when I go out that I am am an Asian rocking a very “European-style”. Uhhh…not unique, people. Look around you! DC is full of European-style-esque clothes, and people who are just as innovative as the next in high-stepping fashion.
ps. LaToya – REP that 301/240 girl!
(Lived in Rockville for a while)
Posted 21 May 2007 at 6:38 am ¶
Huh?? wrote:
‘On a side note – I do find Asians (in general) who dress like Asians more confident and attractive in general. I think it’s better than copying from whites or blacks all the time.’
Huuuh, the ‘Asian’ way of dressing you talk about is still Western clothes! If you think Asians should not copy whites/blacks, then they should wear traditional clothes! ‘Asian’ fashion is still inspired by the West! It’s like J-Pop for example, it’s still inspired by Western musical scales and styles. It’s not pure Asian and neither are the clothes that fashionable Asians wear. So you should say Asians should wear Kimono/Chongsam/Hanbok all the time.
Posted 21 May 2007 at 10:58 am ¶