The Korean clothes that represents the Korean design in our traditional style of a dress which had the history of more than 2,000 years have been changed to be in line with a contemporary society with diverse titles such as a reformed Korean clothes, ...
The Korean clothes that represents the Korean design in our traditional style of a dress which had the history of more than 2,000 years have been changed to be in line with a contemporary society with diverse titles such as a reformed Korean clothes, living Korean clothes, contemporary Korean clothes, and fashion Korean clothes, etc. since 1980's. However, Korean clothes of such a new style have not overcome a limitation in a traditional style of a dress in terms of a design but instilled the image of popular clothes having a political identity by nationalist-like resistant activists in a colonial age and popular activists resisting a military dictatorship in 1980's without publicizing the excellence of the Korean fashion in the world. Unlike this, the traditional costume in the Southeast Asia has been accepted as a universal beauty in the world fashion market through a modernization and globalization by designers in and outside of the relevant country and brought the Orientalism inspired by images of exotic and mysterious Asia in the world. In this regard, it is necessary for us to try to have the world fashion industry recognize a fashion look of 'Korean style' through a contemporary fashion of Korean image and pursue a globalization in this fashion.
The purpose of this study is firstly to review characteristics in Korean beauty, secondly to examine the concept and characteristic in Korean fashion design, thirdly to study and find out the successful cases in other countries for the purpose of a high-class oriented aim of Korean fashion design, and fourthly to present a high-class oriented plan in Korean fashion design on the basis of this.
Due to an influence of “Korean Wave” which has been recently expanded on the basis of the Southeastern Asian countries such as Japan, China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, etc., a positive, high-class, and refined touch has been granted to a Korean image. And by Korean designers newly finding their ways into New York and Paris including Young Hee Lee as well as research groups such as Costume Art Society that suggested a new chapter in terms of Korean fashion design in Japan, the world interest has been increased on Korea and Korean culture in terms of fashion. To publicize the image of Korean culture in the world on the basis of such soft power, it is deemed necessary to develop a creative, independent, and high-class fashion design product to enhance a cultural self-respect. The conclusion pursuant to such a research purpose is as follows:
Firstly, the characteristic in Korean beauty can be classified into a natural beauty, abstract beauty, and humorous beauty. The Korean beauty should deeply reflect the Korean people's nature and their way of life and should be a unique and peculiar one having a Korean special flavor that no one can imitate. In particular, it should enlighten an identity and tradition of Korea.
Secondly, the Korean fashion design is the one utilizing the Korea's unique sentiment or sense of beauty into a fashion design by way of a visual element, image, or touch and means the universal fashion design that enables our culture to be known to the world through a Korean fashion and enables the entire world market to agree and accept. On the basis of an inherent awareness on beauty, it is necessary to assimilate the Western style and newly create it into a compromised form. And it is necessary to look for a universal sense of beauty to be accepted in the world. For the purpose of this, it is necessary to develop diverse and high-class material, pattern, and design which includes a Korean image.
Thirdly, as in shown in successful cases in other countries, the requirement for high-class fashion can be divided into a modernized design of a tradition based on an originality and a universality seasoned with a sense of the times, a philosophical basis, high-quality, cooperation between a government and a company, and creative and original marketing strategy.
Fourthly, the high-class oriented plan in Korean fashion design drawn through such a case analysis is as follows: It is necessary to develop diverse designs that pursue a universality and modernized nature in tradition to seek after a voluptuous beauty and youth. In term of a size and style, a standardization and a globalization are required. In addition, a high quality and a high price should be maintained. A continuous concern and support from a government and a company should be made in respect of an improvement of a national image and a traditional fashion brand. An aristocratic and original advertisement and publicity are also important in a marketing perspective. A diverse, creative, and sentimental product planning strategy, overseas marketing strategy, and e-marketing strategy utilizing Internet to be in line with the trend of the times, and a differentiated marketing per region rather than universal marketing are required.
In the high-class fashion industry which has had a long history and tradition, the best quality product has been made by hands of an artisan who has the best technique. And such high-class fashion industry has been regarded as the product of an artisan spirit that gives a continuous trust and satisfaction to customers. Since there has been no representative high-class brand which utilized a Korean traditional beauty in our country thus far, it is necessary to develop, in a national level, a fashion design for a high-class brand that has a traditional style of a dress and a Korean image in our country which has a historical and cultural value for more than 2,000 years.