This study explores the contemporary reinterpretation of traditional suit design through the lens of post-structuralist philosopher Jacques Derrida’s concept of decentralization. The objective is to systematically analyze the diverse expression methods of decentralized suits in contemporary fashion and identify their design characteristics, thus exploring various design possibilities for decentraliz suits. To achieve this, the study examines the deconstructivist fashion collections of notable designers such as Martin Margiela, Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons, Alexander McQueen, and Thom Browne, analyzing 269 decentralized suits from their men’s collections from 2009 to the present. The methods of decentralization are categorized based on the structure (composition), details, and materials of the garments, are classified into deconstruction, discontinuity, and disorder. Specific expression methods include irregular wearing, layering, asymmetry, and distortion for deconstruction; omission, heterogeneous insertion, material transition, and separation for discontinuity; and tearing, graffiti, and unfinished elements for disorder. The identified design characteristics are as follows: gender-neutral and category-free, which dismantles the rigid formality and masculine image of suits to allow flexible and diverse gender expressions; integration of unconventional elements, which combines traditional suit design with non-traditional details like ruffles, strings, unfinished edges, and graffiti to create new designs; and sustainable design, which utilizes the deconstruction and recombination of existing suits to recycle discarded suits, making it suitable for upcycling.
The interlacing technique has a long history of use as a means of creative expression and persists in modern society to satisfy the individual pursuit of pastimes. This method has the developmental potential to create new trends in the future. Interlacing techniques (e.g., basketry, plaiting, braiding, and knotting) are closely related to plastic arts fields, architecture, art, and industrial design where the various interlacing practices are applied. This research uses case analysis to study the types of expression found in the formative art field wherein the interlacing technique is applied. Results reveal several expressions, including optical illusion visual type, relief surface type, porous perspective type, and object borrowing type, all of which appeared in fashion bags. The aesthetic formativeness, which appeared in the fashion bags that applied interlacing techniques, was then classified according to geometric formative beauty in a process based on rules and order. Nature-friendly formative beauty reflecting handicraft locality and omnidirectional formative beauty by disordered deconstruction and heterogeneous combination were determined. The use of interlacing techniques that show creative, unique combinations and variations is expected to inspire the development and application of bag design that suits individual and original modern fashion trends. One limitation of this thesis is that it only studied cases appearing in modern fashion bags.
The pataphysics implemented by digital technology differs from the form of objects in the real world and is used throughout the cultural industry. This study aims to analyze the expression method of pataphysics as applied to modern fashion and derive its impact on the fashion industry. The research analyzes fashion images, shows, films, displays, and e-commerce, since 2016, when pataphysics began to be used in the fashion domain. Pataphysics, created by Alfred Zaire, appeared as an overlapping phenomenon that reflects physical phenomena in the virtual world. The expression method of pataphysics applied to modern fashion was divided into an augmented reality method based on immersion and interaction, a virtual platform-oriented metaverse, and a virtual model expressing a processed self. The influence of pataphysics applied to modern fashion is as follows. In the field of design, pataphysics affects the development of contemplative designs for innovation and creativity. Second, digital technology can expand the role of fashion at the intersection of art and fashion that takes a novel perspective through pataphysics. Third, e-commerce positively affects efficient production and consumption through virtual and economic models. In conclusion, this study’s findings are expected to play a positive role in promoting creativity and innovation by introducing new perspectives and ideas into modern fashion through pataphysics.
This study examines how the concept of gender fluidity—viewing gender identity as a fluid and wide spectrum—is represented in modern knit fashion collections. The period spring/summer 2017–fall/winter 2021, when gender-related fashion keywords started attracting attention, was limited to the last five years, and the results of a case analysis focused on a total of 357 knit fashion photos are as follows. First, the androgynous compromise through the mixing of heterogeneous elements appears as a mix-and-match style due to the patchwork of heterogeneous materials and forms that borrow or share masculinity and femininity. Second, it was confirmed that the dismantling exaggeration caused by the destruction of the size and form of clothes was an avant-garde image that exaggerated the size or length of clothes or destroyed ideas and forms. Third, the exposed sensuality caused by the deformation of the fluid knitting technique was shown in the form of proudly expressing sexuality by exposing the body either using the cut-out technique or through the loose texture of the knit. Knit fashion can highlight decorative effects using handcrafted techniques and express a detailed or coarse sense of organization depending on the density. In addition, since it is possible to create a complex image by juxtaposing and mixing various knit structures, it was confirmed that it is a suitable material for expressing gender fluidity flowing between men and women in fashion.
The purpose of this study is to analyze how modern fashion brands practice cultural sustainability by investigating the ways they use and reinterpret traditional culture and clothing. The transmission and reinterpretation of traditional cultural elements connect the past, present, and future. These forces also lead to the development of new creativity in the fashion industry. Three brands have been selected for case studies: Danha (Korea), Mittan (Japan), and Jan Jan Van Essche (Belgium). These brands possess in-depth understanding of traditional cultural elements, including clothing, dyeing techniques, and patterns unique to various regions and minority groups. The brands all make use of traditional cultural identities whose clothing contains the historical and sentimental values of various regions and ethnic groups. The use and mixing of various cultures can be seen as the respectful preservation of global culture. Also, in contemporary fashion, the use of traditional culture plays an important role in the presentation and development of creative designs. The use of traditional handicraft techniques and the use of traditional clothing in the past convey cultural diversity to future generations; they will have a lasting influence on future fashion trends. The results of the study show that cultural sustainability in contemporary fashion has been implemented through safeguarding and respecting indigenous cultures and developing cultural elements into creative design.
The fashion industry analyzes the value of its essence with ecological design and is expressed as an innovative sculpture using digital technology. Accordingly, this study explores ecological images and digital technologies, categorizes types and derives their meanings through analysis of ecological images shown in modern digital fashion. A literature survey was conducted on ecological images and digital technology as a theoretical background. To analyze the expression type and internal meanings of ecological images, designs with ecological formability were selected and analyzed from related journals, books, and internet sites. The finding are as follows: The expression type was first identified as organic curved garment silhouettes of a non-material liquid with digital retouching. Second, ecological fashion design includes structural shape that applies the silhouette of an organism and patterning of the ecosystem. Third, ecosystems consist of interactions between components of an ecosystem that appear in the interactive type. Accordingly, the internal meanings of ecological images in modern digital fashion are: first, digital fashion can encircle the inherent concepts of nature as organic collections of individuals; second, digital ecological images emphasize a sense of community with coexistence and harmony, playing a complementary role; and finally, the images express perceptual features by providing people with transcendent experiences. This study is significant as it analyzes new formative features based on ecological systems in the digital fashion environment, establishes an aesthetic system through internal meanings, and enhances awareness of human-natural relationships.
The purpose of this study is to contribute to the role of lines in creative design development by analyzing the expression types and aesthetic characteristics of modern fashion using geometric formativeness of symmography. A literature study was conducted of works since 2009 to examine the general consideration of lines together with analysis of the concept and characteristics of symmography in the formative arts field, and to analyze the expression types and aesthetic characteristics of modern fashion design using the formativeness of symmography. The infinite sense of formativeness and original expression of symmography are used in formative arts such as space design, installation art, and industrial design. Expression types of modern fashion design using geometric formativeness of symmography can be classified into the following three types: two-dimensional graphic pattern, relief surface, and threedimensional spatial. First, the two-dimensional graphic pattern type forms an optical pattern, providing individuality and visual interest to the textile design. Second, the relief surface type expresses the plane in various ways, so that the thickness changes according to how lines overlap. Third, the three-dimensional spatial type expands the boundaries of clothing and creates a fantastic spatial beauty. Next, the aesthetic formativeness of fashion design using symmography can be classified into repetitive rhythmicity, geometric self-similarity, and optical spatiality. Symmography enables a myriad of geometric patterns to be developed depending on material, color, and the designer’s imagination, and helps inspire a variety of designs in fashion that sculpt a three-dimensional human body.
This study defines the concept of the fashion meme, which has recently emerged as a fashion trend, influential fashion keyword. After analyzing the concepts and characteristics of traditional memes from prior studies, examples of fashion memes were collected from online community and social network services, while a literature study and case study analysis were conducted in parallel drawing on related articles and journals. Modern fashion memes refer to fashion-related symbols and fashion images that are spread online by word-of-mouth, together with fashion styles and items that spread as a result of being worn. Fashion memes in cyberspace are mainly spread through social network or message services, and sometimes combine text, images, videos, hashtags, and emoticons. Fashion memes are a type of collective action of the people in response to social problems in the world, and often involve humorous antics, satire, shock, and eccentricity. Shared fashion memes reflect the expression of personality expression and fun, and at the same time are used as an expression of designer and brand creativity and are integral to marketing. Fashion memes are classified into four types, based on two central axes as follows: non-commercial/ commercial and anti-fashion/fashion-friendly. Unlike traditional memes, Internet-based fashion memes emphasize elements of transformation through creativity as well as imitation, which has become a persisting contemporary trend beyond temporary phenomena.
Intermedia is a term that refers to the convergence of different media. It has not only enabled the delivery of brand message but also developed interactive communication in a contemporary fashion show context. This study investigates the presentation methods of contemporary fashion shows affected by intermedia. We examined the research and theory related to intermedia and fashion shows by accessing articles since the 2000s concerning 252 shows by 30 designers that tended to demonstrate the use of intermedia. Our analysis highlighted four particular characteristics: “medium scalability” (the unity of art and fashion and the unity of life and fashion); “synesthetic flow” (the audience’s emotional immersion, represented by the actual performance and performances of the models); “participatory accessibility” (performance participation through action and instrumental support); and “immaterial symbolization” (an intuitive symbol that emphasizes both the direct outward appearance and the metaphorical symbolism so that the object is expressed in a figurative sense). From these results, we identified considerable synergy between the characteristics of intermedia and contemporary fashion shows. Therefore, it might be useful to conduct an experimental study on this area of research.
This study is aimed at applying the philosophical concept of “différance” to contemporary men’s fashion design, which could effectively show the shift in thinking. For the study method, the author examined the theoretical background of deconstruction and prepared the standard of analysis by organizing the concept of “différance,” which exists at the center of philosophy. This study selected the three most popular brands: Maison Margiela, Comme des Garcons, and Yohji Yamamoto. The results are as follows. First, there is expression of perpetual reservation emphasizing time. This includes texture, patchworks, hems with ladder, and exposure of seam that expresses the trace of time flow and delayed delivery of immediate meaning, and the expression creates delay between major and minor and leads to consistent role exchange. Second, the trace of blank that emphasizes the space gives a visual sense of weight on spares with the intentionally granted space, as well as the space that is the trace of trace and creates a sense of depth through the direction of empty space. Third, the space created in the process of wearing cloth is visualized, the structure of clothing is deconstructed, and the movement from the process recomposes the shape of space and expands the definition that enables expansion of time and space. Fourth, the undetermined relationship expresses the border of time and space visually and deconstructs time and space. The approaches are mostly constructive, demonstrating an avant-garde form of clothes-wearing to show the non-form or imbalance condition.
The purpose of this study is to serve as a reference for creative fashion design by analyzing the types and aesthetic characteristics of trompe l’oeil in contemporary men’s fashion. This research is an empirical study that utilizes both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze fashion design cases and research articles such as academic papers and professional books. The study covers four major men’s collections: Paris, Milan, New York, and London. The period being analyzed is from 2005 Spring/Summer, which is widely regarded as a turning point at which men’s collections began rapidly, to 2019 Spring/Summer. The study analyzes 471 photos from domestic and international websites, with the following results. Types of trompe l’oeil in contemporary male fashion are classified into four types: (1) the deconstruction of clothing forms or creation methods, (2) optical illusions that create the effect of multiple layers of clothing on a single article of clothing and the reproduction of apparel details and clothing using 2D printing or embroideries, (3) realistic patterns on garments to create a camouflage effect, and (4) articles of clothing containing body images such as the chest, trunk, or internal human anatomy. These aesthetic characteristics in men’s fashion design using types of trompe l’oeil are playful, deconstructive, and decorative features based on hyper-reality. This study aims to acknowledge trompe l’oeil as being widely used in contemporary men’s fashion as a type of formative art, playing a crucial role in creative fashion design.
The purpose of this study is to classify and analyze the deconstruction phenomena expressed in contemporary knit fashion design, and to analyze the inner meaning of deconstruction based on certain characteristics. As a method of study, literature data for theoretical backgrounds, prior studies, and internet data were analyzed. The scope of this study was restricted to knitwear published in the world’s four major collections (Milan, Paris, New York and London) from 2014 F/W to 2018 S/S. Based on prior studies, four concepts of deconstruction were derived: “Différeance”, “Intertextuality”, “Intermeaning of Meaning”, “Dis․De Phenomenon”. The results of the study were as follows: first, “Différeance” refers to a transcendence of time and space. These expressions are discursive, unrealistic, and convey freedom through intent that deviates from rules and norms. Second, “Intertextuality” indicates a mixture of different texts, such as styles, materials, and items. These expressions deliver novelty with amusement, and can be entertaining depending on audience expectations. Third, “Intermeaning of Meaning” is accidental category - depending on how the wearer wears the clothing. -; accordingly, free and spontaneous creativity is an emerging trend in fashion. Fourth, the clothing was expressed in deformed and distorted form by the construction and destruction of the structure, a technique we describe as the “Dis․De Phenomenon”. In this concept, the sense of free design of young emotion appears along with the sense of purity and shock due to intentional inconsistency.
This study analyzes characteristics related to Kineticism found in different kinds of displays and arts in order to contemplate modern window displays. The standard of analysis is based on kinetic arts pioneer George Rickey’s six display factors. Projection features and movements were categorized into “Direct movements,” “Indirect movements,” and “Relative movements.” Results were obtained through analysis of different examples of each category. First, the most observed form of Kineticism was direct movements on the window display. Along with the development of science and techniques, a variety of divergent motional methods has arisen. After that followed indirect movement, which uses visual media and lights for presentation. The third was relative movements, which provides communication in practical experience; users’ motion is used to provide modification in vision. Fourth, we observed that direct movements and indirect movements can express fluidity depending on materials, inducing a sense of tension within the window display through visual stimuli together with dynamism from mechanical exposure. Fifth, when direct movements pair with relative movements, it triggers customer participation; though it does not deliberately induce participation, the effects are beyond expectation. Sixth, if indirect movements meet relative movements, the motion of lights offers a major stimulation to the customers along with various expressions, thus achieving an interactive domain.
Developments in the recent media era has made distortion possible in accordance with changes in the fashion industry as new clothing, technologies, and fusions have become available. Nevertheless, previous studies of specific types of clothing, and their classification for the purpose of research are lacking. Thus, this study examines the development of the Pomme de look and the form of modern variant that appears in fashion clothing and new technologies, and largely examines the clothing case to clean it up. The method employed is leading research that examines the transformation about the concept of the Pomme de look with regard to the fashion about the type of look in the 2000s and onwards. This is organized in accordance with the analytical and physical characteristics, and the esthetic aspects of the results are as follows. The conclusions reached as follows are based on this; first, the physical characteristic manner when based on previous looks, the two-dimensional deformation for making clothes, if there was a simple way, now has more dimensions. Clothes are made in a complex manner and variations emerge. Second, esthetic characteristics strive for beauty while also displaying the modified and more complex manners of clothing that are emerging. Third, the fusion clothing with machines effects to physical and psychological changes through the details about how the sensor is worn. The enemy, the appearance of distortion, and clothing are emerging. This is expected to grow further based on the rapid development of new technologies and the transformation of Pomme de look and design will appear in more varied ways to create a convergence.
Crowdsourcing models in which organizaions obtain needed product ideas and services from a crowd in a network-based society are rising as a global industry trend. The purpose of this study was to figure out the types and characteristics of crowdsourcing design shown in the domestic fashion brands, and to provide implications for design strategies using crowdsourcing. This study was based on qualitative research which was brand case studies on crowdsourcing design in the fashion industry from January 2006 to July 2017. Also, quantitative analysis using frequency and percentage was applied. The results were as follows: First, crowdsourcing design was used in almost all types of fashion brands, such as sports and outdoor wear, men’s wear, women’s wear, men’s and women’s casual wear, shoes, bags, school uniforms, jeans, accessories, etc. Crowdsourcing design in the fashion industry was classified into three types: crowdsourcing graphics and artwork; crowdsourcing customized designs; and crowdsourcing product designs. Of the three types, crowdsourcing graphics and artwork was used most. There were four methods to choose the best crowsourced design: review only by experts, voting by crowd and review by experts, crowdvoting, and crowdfunding. Second, the characteristics of crowdsourcing design were openness, participation, reward and acknowledgement, sharing and interaction, and individualized collective intelligence. Crowdsourcing design could be used as an open innovation strategy in the fashion industry, which could collect new and creative design ideas for product development, resulting in the satisfaction of consumers and benefitting the company.
This study proposes that Malevich's 1913 performance “Victory Over the Sun” was not just Cubo Futurism, but that it produced Suprematism in the early 20th century. “Victory Over the Sun” did away with traditional set and costume design and a call to the Russian avant garde. Therefore, this study analyzes the characteristics of set and the costume design in “Victory Over the Sun”, and considers how it impacted twenty-first century fashion designers like Margiela. The results of the study are as follows: first, Margiela reinterpreted the characteristics of the costumes featured on “Victory Over the Sun” from a cubist perspective and represented geometric spatial structures and mechanical human images through changes in methods and materials. second, he designed costumes by applying to the set and costumes expressed black & white images on “Victory Over the Sun”. and third, Margiela reinterpreted the warrior image using geometric forms and colors in a creative way. Contemporary fashion designers, including Margiela, express their artistic creativity through various representational and materials choices. They want to convey their subjective personality and emotional sensibility to the public by mixing and deforming existing arts like painting, sculpture, and crafts to create new images. Thus, the creative intentions of the latest fashion designers have expanded art of costume design, exemplifying the process by which art is evolves and is made new.
The structural aesthetics of architecture are becoming an inspirational source for many fashion designers and have been reborn in structural fashion. This study planned to analyze the method of expression of structural aesthetics expressed in modern structural fashion design and the construction method to maximize such an effect on the basis of the construction characteristic of Santiago Calatrava as the representative architect of the structural aesthetic. According to the study, the structural aesthetics expressed in modern structural fashion design are as follows: 1) The symbolical formative aesthetic expressed by symbolical inference and analyzation; 2) the dynamic beauty of physic expressed by visual emphasis and dynamics; and 3) the asymmetric beauty of symmetry expressed by metastasis toward the boundary between balance and imbalance. In addition, to maximize structural aesthetics, we used repetition and a progressive technique based on rhythm, asymmetry, and incision-based variances, such as balance, polygon flux, and inference, and analyzation-based distortion as the structuring principle. The following expression methods for maximizing structural aesthetics were found: 1) symbolical and structural exaggeration of appearance; 2) detail technique expansion and material property diversification; and 3) the three-dimensional transformation of structure and shell expression. Structural fashion design was found to have maximized structural aesthetics by using such expression methods to secure artistic esthetics, destroy existing shapes and patterns, and create unique shapes.
The digital technology that has brought about the information revolution acts as the causes of multi-faceted socio-cultural phenomena. The spread of the digital environment and the popularity of the digital devices accelerate the phenomenon or the fusion of culture and technology, and such a phenomenon is no exception in the fashion design. Namely, the combination of fashion design and digital-based technology draws more and more attention; Not only the technology is simply applied to the fashion design, but also it is used as an emotional tool to enhance consumers' satisfaction, while some designs and marketing cases stimulating consumers' emotion are highlighted importantly. This study was aimed at surveying and analyzing the contemporary fashion using the digital technology and thereupon, assessing the characteristics of the emotional representations of technology as well as their aesthetic values. To this end, the theory of ‘science of emotion and sensibility’ was applied to divide the characteristics of emotional technological expressions in the contemporary fashion into immateriality, non-boundary, multi-media and interaction, while the aesthetic values of the emotional technology immanent in the contemporary fashion were categorized into communication & participation, conceptual configuration, physical expansion and variable movement. This study analyzed uses of technology for human emotion and sensibility shown in not only collections but also communication media and exhibition spaces and thereby, suggested the direction for our fashion industry to fulfill consumers' changing needs and advance further.
This study attempted to figure out the usage of the modular system in other fields through literature review and empirical study, analyze its structural method in fashion. After analyzing architecture & product-related books, the Internet data and previous studies, the modular system's five structural methods were obtained. Then, 991 photos of women's clothes from 2003 to 2014 were collected through the fashion websites in Korea and abroad. The results can be summarized as follows: First, the following five structures were derived: assembling structure, overlapping structure, arrangement structure, inserting structure and folding structure. Second, according to analysis on the structural method of the modular system in modern fashion, overlapping structure (34%) was the most common. Third, in fashion, the use of fastener for installation and removal is important for assembling structure. In terms of overlapping structure, 3D volume by vertical accumulation was commonly observed. Arrangement structure revealed a horizontal and flat shape through simple arrangement. In inserting structure, on the contrary, non-standardized modules were used as a part of clothes or decorative elements. In folding structure, origami technique for reduction and expansion was used.
Entering the twentieth century, corsets began to disappear with the tendency of concentrating on slim bodies and youth. As corsets proceeded to be discarded, they began to be internalized as a means of controlling the body; 'muscular corset' takes hold. However, the internalized corset increasingly appears to be externalized again in contemporary fashion. This study investigates how natural body is reconstructed as socio-cultural image drawing on the relationship between the signifier and signified of corset. As for the research methodology this study conducts literature survey to investigate the internalization of corset. This study proceeds to examine the subjects of fashion collections from 1980 to 2010 and samples the outfits which represent the externalization of corset through case analysis. Through the discussion of the study, the relationship of signifier and signified in the externalization of corset is argued as follows: first, by maintaining signifier and signified of the traditional corset as underwear, aggressive eroticism of corset has been observed, second, by perceiving corset as the agency of the body, fetishism of corset dissociates the function of sexual object from corset while distorting the relationship of signifier and signified, third, through embodying the notion of muscular corset literally, the ironical representation of corset as a torturing device of female body deconstructs the traditional relation of signifier and signified of corset.