A Research on Interaction between Diverse Culture and Modern Formal Womenswear in International Fashion Industry

Chu, Yu-Wei

Thesis (M.F.A.) – Fashion

Savannah College of Art and Design -- Department of Fashion

Copyright is retained by the authors or artists of items in this collection, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

“This research aims to delve into the integration of diverse cultures and the intrinsic value of fabric applications, with a particular focus on clothing practices while juxtaposing this with innovative thinking in modern formal womenswear design. Through a comprehensive study of pleated fabrics from Eastern and Western cultures, this study aims to shed light on the enduring relevance and significance of ancient textiles in local communities. By means of historical and contemporary design approaches to pleated fabric applications, the study aims to reveal the cultural, social, and economic implications of this transition. Moreover, this research will investigate how these distinct approaches influence the formal womenswear fashion industry, exploring how various textured pleated fabrics can inspire innovative designs, promote multicultural integration, and foster meaningful connections between heritage and modernity. By examining the interplay between the fusion of fashion styles from diverse cultures in the local and the globalized world of women's fashion, this study seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of the dynamic relationship between cultural heritage and the evolving landscape of contemporary fashion. This involves exploring the application of traditional pleating techniques from diverse cultures and how they are applied to clothing, their history and their impact on modern women's fashion. Studying their global fashion impact aims to enhance culture diversity, aesthetics and market value. The development of technology diminishes cultural diversity, favoring popular culture. Globalization has fostered local cultural awareness in women's fashion and highlighted the importance of diverse cultural aesthetics. Modern formal womenswear is one of the largest markets in the international fashion industry. Therefore, the multicultural commonalities between traditional clothing and modern formal womenswear in the international fashion industry need to be studied. Localized traditional fabrics have some elements, such as pleated fabric and other related crafts, in common with more modern manufacturing methods. In addition, what traditional clothing has in common is the use of draping, construction, and fabric treatments. The purpose of this thesis is to explore the above factors and creatively apply traditional culture to modern women's fashion to enhance diversity and aesthetics. To fulfill the purpose, a collection of seven looks of modern formal womenswear has been designed and produced by applying pleated fabric and varied construction techniques, as displayed in Figures 38-44. The main contribution of this thesis is to find a solution to integrate local culture into modern formal womenswear with innovative aesthetics to realize the ideal of multicultural reconstruction, thereby potentially increasing its market value in international fashion market.” –Abstract

Keywords: diverse culture, pleated fabric, modern formal womenswear, globalization, aesthetics, international fashion industry.

Savannah, Georgia : Savannah College of Art and Design

2023-11

2 online resources: 1 PDF (Thesis, 105 pages, color illustrations) + 1 PDF (Studio component, 44 pages, color illustrations)