• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.13-33
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• 2024

This study aims to analyze the potential and limitations of using traditional men's suits as upcycled materials by examining case studies of deconstructed and reassembled designs. The research explores the potential of upcycled suit design and proposes data to guide future directions in upcycling. A literature review was conducted, revealing that upcycled designs are often created through deconstruction, within the framework of Jacques Derrida's deconstructionist philosophy. The study examined 10 brands that focused on suit-based upcycled designs across two or more seasons, resulting in 202 upcycled suit products for analysis to identify key design characteristics. Upcycle suits have been shown to be disordered decentralized properties through deformation, discontinuity through deformation, and damage through reconstruction of existing suits. First, deformation was expressed in the design of a typical dressing, asymmetry, overlap, distortion, and repetition. Second, deformation mainly appeared as a method of omission, heterogeneous insertion, material conversion, and separation. Third, damage appeared as a doodle, tear, and incomplete up-cycle design method. Using these methods, three decentralized upcycle suit designs were developed, and a new direction of upcycle design was suggested. The study concludes that upcycled suit design can contribute to sustainable fashion by achieving zero waste, developing refined sewing techniques, pursuing diverse design methods, and promoting transparency in production. This research offers insights into innovative and diverse product development through the reinterpretation of discarded suits.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.653-671
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• 2024

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.