The global luxury market is relentlessly growing over the last few decades, defying the global economic crisis. It is estimated that the luxury market is made up by a continuously enlarging heterogeneous group of 330 to 380 million consumers worldwide. The consumption of luxuries goes beyond the riches and wealth of countries, as the highest luxury spenders are to be found in places like the Middle East, Japan, and China. Luxury goods’ penetration relatively to GDP is low in countries like Germany and the U.S. and high in Italy, France, and South Korea. Wealth and economics alone cannot explain the economics underlying luxury consumption; culture is an important driver of growth in this sector. Culture gives meaning to luxuries, affects the perceived value and motivations to buy luxury goods, and determines luxuries’ signaling power and potency as differentiators and identity signifiers. Today, despite the size, growth and geographical spread of the luxury goods market, cross-cultural research is limited and rather scattered in different fields. Much of the research undertaken draws from Hofstede’s typology of culture and focuses on a narrow range of conceptual issues. The purpose of this presentation is to review and summarize existing cross-cultural research on luxury products and to identify fruitful future research directions that will expand our understanding of luxury goods marketing. In addition, attention will be given to examining current trends and behaviors in the field

본 연구는 20세기 초기의 서양 흔들의자를 분석하여 조형적, 실용적 관점에서 양식적 특징을 학문적 으로 규명하고, 오늘날 우리나라 흔들의자의 설계 및 제작의 기초자료를 제공하는 것에 목적이 있다. 20 세기 전반의 서양 흔들의자(1925~1945년 제작)는 형태가 기능을 따라야 한다는 단순한 기능주의의 이념을 적극적으로 표현하였다. 원목을 활용한 흔들의자는 표면장식을 배제하였고, 강철관 프레임의 흔들의자는 검정색 가죽의 업홀스터리를 즐겨 사용하면서 노출된 구조미를 대담하게 표현하였다. 또 강철관을 통하여 가구의 경량화가 이루어졌고 곡선미 있는 새로운 양식이 출현하였다. 근대 흔들의자의 구조는 양식과 기능적 이유에서 모두 중요하게 되었다. 디자이너들은 강철관과 목재 프레임의 노출된 구조를 통합성 및 합리성과 결부 시켜 디자인의 평등주의 스타일을 만들어냈다. 특히 이 시기에는 밝고 대담한 색상의 업홀스터리와 목재 프레임으로 구성된 흔들의자가 근대적 특징의 단순한 형태로 다양하게 표현되었 다.

The purpose of this study is to comprehend western style in fashion and to contemplate the hybrid tendency reflected on western style, thereby to analyze the aesthetic characteristics of the hybrid tendency of western style. For such purposes, this study first examines western style historically, in order to analyze hybrid tendency reflected on western style, and conduct a case study by analyzing photographic materials of prêt-à-porter collection since 1980s. The result of this study is as follows: the hybrid tendency reflected on western style are modification and fusion of regional culture, adaptation and composition of subcultures, and appropriation of sexual minority culture. (1) Modification and fusion of regional culture is expressed in ethnic items and patterns of embroidery, mixing Mexican and Spanish, American Indian and American cultural references. (2) Adaptation and composition of subcultures emphasize traditional or vintage western style by mixing characteristics of western and other subcultures. (3) Appropriation of sexual minority culture is expressed in rhinestone chaps and fetish corset, glitter rodeo suit, reminiscent of drag or queer cultural references. The result of this study will provide basis which can be utilized in the development and educational background of fashion design.