Fashion theory has been informed by the distinction between fashion-modern, changeable, and emanating from Western urban centers-and ethnic clothing-stable, oriented toward tradition, and belonging in the periphery. This distinction has not always been precise; however, it has had a profound influence on how society thinks about fashion. Many accounts of ethnic fashion thus tend to overemphasize the original reworking of exotic designs on the part of Western creators, just as they exaggerate the fixity of non-Western dress. In this respect, the ongoing impact of ethnic styles on Western fashion has been marginalized.

Ethnic Style in Fashion By Lise Skov