Abstract
String, as clothing material, has played a functional, symbolic and decorative role in garment traditionally. The string has a shape of continuous line, which is one of the basic elements for the design: points, lines and sides. It can effectively represent the silhouette by making our vision flow to a certain direction. This study reinterprets the traditional form of string in a new modern way by developing "Tube-Shaped String" which has an empty hole in the middle. As a creative attempt, the new tube-shaped string can be used for fashion design by applying it to unique shapes, colors, textures, and draping expressions. In a role dimension, this string can become the main fabric material. The methods of the study are as follows. First, it examines the traditional shape and role of string in the history of garment. Second, it studies modern designers, such as Christian Dior, Ann Demeulemeester, Dolce & Gabbana, and 3.1 Phillip Lim, who have applied the string to their design, and have explored the various potentials of the string in the past four years. Finally, based on the theoretical research and practical analysis, this study creates a new tube-shaped string, applying its own technique to fabricating three garments: jacket, dress, and body suit. As a result, each garment shows unique silhouettes, rich texture and color, and rhythmical movement. The unique silhouettes reflect the shape and movement of different bodies. The texture and color are created through the shades of the string which come from the overlapping strips. The garments come with an unbeatable aesthetic design compared to conventional uniform design. As a new material in clothing, this tube-shaped string can be developed to satisfy the public, which has widely varying tastes in fashion.
