Mexico demands explanation from French designer Isabel Marant over indigenous designs

Mexico’s culture ministry on Wednesday questioned French fashion designer Isabel Marant’s use of patterns from indigenous Mexican communities, marking the government’s latest complaint over high-fashion brands appropriating local styles.

According to the ministry, Marant’s latest collection, including a long cape with stripes and starburst designs in gray and brown hues, includes elements from the Purepecha people of Mexico’s Michoacan state.

Marant’s company, Isabel Marant, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The brand’s website says it is committed to ethical and responsible behavior.

In 2015, the company was similarly accused of incorporating designs from Mexico’s southern state of Oaxaca.

Last year, Mexico called out Venezuela-born designer Carolina Herrera and French fashion house Louis Vuitton for using traditional patterns in their designs, without regard for the people who first brought them to life.