Bath & Body Works’ Black History Month Collection sparks cultural appropriation debate

Twitter users called out Bath & Body Works for adding a watermelon scent to their Black History Month collection and repackaging old scents. Photo collage by DANIEL PEARSON, Photo Editor

Repackaged Black culture is America’s bestseller. 

Streetwear and Y2K styles originated from Black culture. Streetwear is rooted in the hip-hop culture of the ‘50s and ‘60s and emerged from Bronx street gangs. Girl groups like Destiny’s Child wore Y2K before Cher from “Clueless” did. 

Bath & Body Works seemed to know this when they released their Black History Month collection, which features a series of soaps, candles and shower products wrapped in colorful kente cloth — a handwoven textile historically worn by Ghanaian royalty. 

“Kente cloth is not even representative of all the different groups of Africans that were enslaved and brought to the Americas; especially in North America, where a lot of the slaves have come from Nigeria," said sophomore health sciences major Debbie Mingo. "Kente was not something used in Nigeria. That's strictly an Ashanti Ghanaian tribe thing."

The beauty and wellness company is one of many companies profiting from cultural appropriation: Target appropriated Indigenous cultures by selling moccasins and teepees, and Balenciaga released their Trompe-L’oeil sweatpants that mimic sagging — a style that is often criminalized when Black people wear it. 

Black Twitter users and Black students at Chapman both criticized Bath & Body Works for putting minimal effort into their Black History Month collection. Ren Gebreamlak, a freshman environmental science and policy major, said the collection was “foul as hell.”

“It didn't demonstrate that they had an understanding of the cultural significance behind Black History Month,” Gebreamlak said. “It very much seemed like a capitalist plot point.” 

Bath & Body Works claimed on their website that they donated $500,000 to the National Urban League and Columbus Urban League in honor of Black History Month. Gebreamlak told The Panther that the company did not even attempt to disguise that the collection was made solely for profit; the understanding of Black history, Gebreamlak said, was surface level.

Bath & Body Works assembled a bold display for their Black History Month collection. MADDIE MANTOOTH, Staff Photographer

“What does (Bath & Body Works) stand for?” Gebreamlak said. “What does this organization do? Is this an annual thing? Was this a monthly thing? How often are they contributing? Is it only for this collection? Do they use any of their proceeds from their other products toward these organizations? Is this only during Black History Month?”

None of these questions were answered on Bath & Body Works’ website — only supportive quotes from the company’s managers and inspirational messages were displayed.

“The packaging resonates with me on multiple levels,” Bath & Body Works District Manager Dada London commented on the website. “The graphics are hip, friendly and fashion-forward, while embodying some of our rich Black history.” 

Mingo said she believed that it would have been better for Bath & Body Works to learn about the plant species different regions of Africa traditionally used for perfume and based their candles, soaps and body washes off of them.

Gebreamlak, however, said that it was better for Bath & Body Works to recycle old scents than to create racialized ones. 

“To rebrand according to who their target audience is racially would have been a mistake,” Gebreamlak said. 

Gebreamlak, Mingo and Black Twitter users were enraged when the company created a watermelon scent for the Black History Month collection, which Bath & Body Works apologized for after receiving backlash. Watermelon, Mingo said, was a fruit grown by Black people to symbolize their freedom.  

Anna Pena, a manager at Bath & Body Works’ location at The Village in Orange, told The Panther she has only heard positive feedback about the Black History Month collection’s packaging and its impact on the Black community.

“In the past, we haven't done anything similar," Pena said. "I feel like with everything going on, it's something good coming out.”

The “good coming out,” Pena said, was Black representation.

Pena added that Bath and Body Works released a Lunar New Year collection that included a fragrance mist, body cream and body lotion.

“The company just wants to be inclusive and represent all communities,” Pena said.

Despite Bath & Body Works’ claims to celebrate Black History Month with their new collection, Gebreamlak said many Black people in America have grown used to their culture being commodified. 

“I hope that if anyone reads what I just said, they become more conscious of how a lot of corporations try to manipulate the passions of minorities in any dimension,” Gebreamlak said.