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Why The Internet Is In an Uproar Over Kendall & Kylie’s New Line of Vintage T-Shirts

Amanda Henderson Jones

Sisters Kylie and Kendall Jenner are no strangers to criticism. Lately, it seems like a month hasn’t gone by without one of the sisters getting into hot water for some sort of cultural appropriation. Kylie has been publicly called out for beauty and fashion choices like corn rows and wigs, while Kendall’s Pepsi commercial caused uproar for trivializing a Black Lives Matter protest. However, it seems as though the famous duo hasn’t learned their lesson. 

The two debuted a line of vintage t-shirts under their self-titled brand called “Rock vs. Rap.” I’m sure that they’re not the first – nor the last – girls to think that the easiest way to boost their “edge” factor is through wearing vintage tees. So what if my music playlist is full of Ariana Grande, and the most “vintage” my music taste gets in the Jonas Brothers? Everyone will think I’m cool in this Led Zeppelin tee. 

The collection features bands like Pink Floyd, The Doors, Black Sabbath, Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G. and Led Zeppelin on the front of the shirts. While in theory, it would be cool to have such iconic and celebrated bands featured in a collection that would expose their younger fans to their music, people are not happy with the way that K+K designed the shirts. Over every printed image of the band/singer, the sisters have their initials and faces over top, partially covering the original person it was intended to celebrate. I don’t know about you, but I think these tees loose a lot of their “vintage” appeal by having the girls’ faces splayed across the front. These certainly aren’t something you can find in your average thrift store either. 

To make matters worse, the photos that the girls chose to superimpose of themselves over the tees have already been called into question for appropriation. The photo of Kylie is one from her Instagram that features her in a bikini with her hair in cornrows, which is a traditionally black hairstyle. This hairstyle has already gotten Kylie in trouble before, so its confusing why she would decide to feature it again, specifically in such a public, already questionable collection. 

Fans are not happy, and calling the designs “exploitive”, specifically those that feature black artists. The Notorious B.I.G.’s mother addressed the issue in an Instagram post, defending her late son as well as Tupac. She noted that she had not given the girls permission to do this. 

Biggie’s mother wasn’t the only one upset by these designs. Fans were quick to jump to Twitter to express their thoughts and opinions on the issue. 

 

These shirts aren’t honoring the artists featured. Their exploiting the artists, their music and talent, while whitewashing them. By using the image of Kylie that already angered many, the girls must have known that these tees would create even more controversy. The shirts retail for $125 dollars, but have been removed from their website. There is no word yet on whether they will continue to be sold, or if they have been pulled permanently. Unfortunately, something tells me that even in the wake of this latest news, the two sisters still have not learned their lesson about cultural appropriation. 

Amanda is a National Intern, Style and Beauty Blogger and a Chapter Advisor for Her Campus. She is doing a double major in criminology and sociology at Western University. She is a proud member of Alpha Gamma Delta - Zeta Chi chapter, and makes 99% of her decisions based off of WWEWD (what would Elle Woods Do?). Follow her on instagram @amanda_h_jones, and listen to her talk about makeup *a bit* more than usual at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m-7cOzh_oI&t=237s