S03.E06: White Fashion

[PrincessPurrsALot]

Quote

I've definitely seen this before on a better show. They're always stealing ideas. But the fashion industry gotta be exposed #streetwear. 

Original air date 2022.04.21

[AngieBee1]

For people who thought this season of ATLANTA was unfairly piling on white people, "White Fashion" took jabs at fashion lines who get caught up in racist or perceived racist campaigns and clothing (Central Park 5 ) and Black activists who commodify their activism (Aaron Heffernan (BRASSIC) just had to be a stand-in for Shaun "Talcum X" King and Khalil DeRay).

This episode was too funny to me. As someone who has done their fair share of activist work, it's all too true how good intentions can be derailed in favor of selfish endeavors. When you realize how hard of an uphill battle it is to enact change, it's too easy to just compromise and take the attitude of, "If the community at large can't get it, then I'm going to get mine." or "Something is better than nothing." This episode was written and filmed so long ago but it is so frustratingly relevant when news of former Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation leader Patrice K buying mansions with money donated to BLM.

The humor was also found in how intersectionality isn't always the way to go as Paper Boi/Earn's campaign idea was repurposed for more inclusivity thus taking focus away from the real intent and desired recipients of the campaign. As Khalil (played so wonderfully by Fisayo Akinade) said why would they fund their own demise?

Then Darius (I cracked up when he cautiously asked the assistant if Ghanians told her that jollof rice was a Ghanian dish) and the gentrification of the Nigerian restaurant?! So heartbreaking because you get a sense that Darius was loving this connection to his culture only for it to be taken away so quickly. Just a brilliant, brilliant episode.

Edited April 22, 2022 by AngieBee1

[aghst]

Very interesting.  Know little about the street fashion world or ethnic food becoming instantly subsumed into some mainstreamed take on cultural genuineness.

Obviously from the start, the advisory board was all about damage control for the fashion brand, with celebrity black artists and social activists lending a patina of permission for people to buy the brand without feeling back about whatever offense the designer committed -- though the Central Park 5 shirt is about what, the infamous "wilding" case and the piece of clothing trivializes how a certain racist narrative was pushed in the prosecution of the defendants who were later proven innocent?

Alfred mocked or belittled Earn's ideas for helping the black community.  Earn actually called it the "Reinvest in our Hood" campaign but Alfred said they kill him, referring to MLK.

Yet inside that board meeting, he regurgitates everything Earn said and then filmed a little Reinvest in your Hood video, which as he noted they "All Lives Matter'd" his shit.

At least he gets all that free designer stuff.

Everyone in the board meeting just wanted tickets to Black Panther 2.  And Khalil said racism would be done by 2024.😒

Good social satire.

As for Darius' plot, it wouldn't happen exactly like that.  The woman could have just copied the ideas and marketed the hell out of it, push it on social media, probably become a hit, even without driving the original or authentic place out of business.

But Darius was being a bit of a hipster about the jollof rice and insisting on tap water.  He probably did too good a job of selling Nigerian cuisine to the woman, helped lead to the demise of Auntie Mimi's place.  He throws the copycat Nigerian food away and a passerby tells him he should recycle.😄

They all have awareness but they're all hypocrites in their own way.  Alfred just wanted free stuff and was softening in his outrage by the end when Khalil suggested on ways to play the game as he has played it.

Earn, who talked Alfred into trying to do good after calling it an Uncle Tom photo op couldn't search for Apple Store on his iPhone to get a nick on his Apple Watch taken care of, had to ask the black concierge at a fancy hotel, to get a free night at the suite.  Van joined to spend the night but was gone in the morning.

 

[DearEvette]

Best episode of the season so far.  Funny as hell.  Biting as hell.  So many sharp layers.  A little heartbreaking in places.  I was especially annoyed by the Nigerian restaurant part.  Man, that woman was even trying to appropriate the music in the restaurant with her damn Shazam.

Also the song that was playing when Van and Earn were dancing in that hotel room is  called In your Eyes by a group called Bad, Bad, Not Good.  My husband loves that song and would play it on repeat sometimes.  He just about lost his mind when it showed up on this episode.  LOL.

[tennisgurl]

This was probably one of the seasons best episodes, so much to unpack. The satire of major brands that, when called out on racism, especially in ad campaigns, will just hire a bunch of well known black artists/activists to try and make themselves look better, as well as black activists who are more interested in activism to promote themselves than to help people, were biting as well as hilarious. 

I felt bad for Alfred, he really did end up getting invested in this campaign, after originally just being in this for the free clothes, and his idea got All Lives Mattered by both the company and by the committee. You can see how easy good intentions can be manipulated or how it can be easy to fall into a "its hard to make change to make black peoples lives better so at least I can change my life life for the better" mindset. 

Darius and the Nigerian restaurant was just really sad, seeing this nice place that clearly meant something to Darius, even in his short time there, getting bought out and appropriated was very real and very heartbreaking. This season has really been picking up the last few episodes. 

[AngieBee1]

-After watching WHITE FASHION, I felt it was neck in neck with THREE SLAPS as my favourite episode of the season, but it has overtaken THREE SLAPS. because not only is the story great and the jokes hit on all cylinders, but the acting is fantastic namely Brian Tyree Henry and Fisayo Akinade (Khalil) in this. Forget Socks, Khalil should stay in PaperBoi's orbit and TJ (the artist in THE OLD MAN AND THE TREE) in Earn's orbit so they can learn how to get money and hopefully, actually use it for good. Because as much game as Khalil talks I'm curious as to how much he actually spends on his causes, versus just using it to fund his lifestyle (I still laugh at how PaperBoi was nearly swayed into seeing BLACK PANTHER 2 when Khalil mentioned Larenz Tate is in it.)

-While the focus was on the activists and how they're all angling for money for their own causes, PaperBoi did the same, in a fashion, when he pitched Earn's idea as his own. He pooh-poohed Earn's ideas as old school MLK/Malcolm X/Fred Hampton ideals that got them killed, but he was quick to pick it up and use it without even crediting Earn.

-Someone on reddit pointed out that Esco-Esco must be an homage to Nas' 90s failed fashion line Willie Esco.

-With each rewatch there's line that gets a new laugh out of me and now it's Marcelo's "I'm the least racist person in the room. In the world even." Marcelo explained at the very start of the episode the inspiration behind the clothing so it came from an innocent place, but instead of saying, "I have blind spots and didn't realize the connotation...." and apologize, his attempt to paint himself as the least racist just makes it all worse (added to the "we're going to investigate ourselves" line when of course they won't find themselves at fault)".

[Marley]

I liked the episode but I am kind of not liking Van lately. I don’t know what is up with her abs I have never really liked her and Earn together. I just find Van blah.

Edited April 28, 2022 by Marley

[lasu]

I don't understand what's going on with Van.  I know they said Lottie is with her mom, and I don't want to hold Van to a different parenting standard than I do Earn, especially when it's clear she's been Lottie's primary parent for quite a while (even before Earn starting touring with Alfred).  But, I don't understand why she is aimless wandering around Europe, randomly stealing things.  Earn said even her mom didn't know where she was, which really is worrisome on a lot of levels.  I would have been slightly concerned if Van were a single woman with no responsibilities disappearing for chunks of time, but Van was presented to us as a responsible and active parent.  

Also, how is she paying for things??  Did she just give up her apartment?  Is Earn paying for it and her gap year through Europe?

Finally, she told Darius when she got to Amsterdam she had a boyfriend, never to be mentioned again.

What is going on with Van??

I did like that Shoplifter Karen got the tables turned on her and was told if she didn't leave, the police would be called on HER.  I don't even care that Van clearly did steal the wig.