Nail art is one of many beauty practices that emphasizes parallels in evolution across culture and time. The sociopolitical landscape of the nail industry across America highlights the nuances behind the beauty ritual and how it can be framed as a tool for cultural understanding and collaboration. Black and Vietnamese influence on modern American, and further, global nail culture has been evident over the past 50 years.
Especially for those local to Southern California and Los Angeles County. This influence paints a story of class relations, migration, and ethnic identity— stemming from major world events. The Vietnam War sewed justified division and civil unrest across the nation as many Americans protested against the unnecessary violence motivated by U.
S. imperial and capitalistic goals. As a result, Vietnamese civilians fled the country and sought refuge in America.
brought on hostility from many, and support from others, namely American figures such as . Tippi Hedren is an American Hollywood star of the 1950s and 1960s, whose lead role in the iconized 1963 Hitchcock film garnered her national recognition. By the film’s debut, acrylic nails had already been introduced, but seeing them on the big screen cemented their popularity in the mainstream conversation.
Hedren’s beauty practices became something to watch, which she capitalized off of by the war’s turning point in 1975. After her community work led her to witness the experiences of Vietnam war refugees in Cal.