• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.330-343
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• 2020

This study defines the concept of the fashion meme, which has recently emerged as a fashion trend, influential fashion keyword. After analyzing the concepts and characteristics of traditional memes from prior studies, examples of fashion memes were collected from online community and social network services, while a literature study and case study analysis were conducted in parallel drawing on related articles and journals. Modern fashion memes refer to fashion-related symbols and fashion images that are spread online by word-of-mouth, together with fashion styles and items that spread as a result of being worn. Fashion memes in cyberspace are mainly spread through social network or message services, and sometimes combine text, images, videos, hashtags, and emoticons. Fashion memes are a type of collective action of the people in response to social problems in the world, and often involve humorous antics, satire, shock, and eccentricity. Shared fashion memes reflect the expression of personality expression and fun, and at the same time are used as an expression of designer and brand creativity and are integral to marketing. Fashion memes are classified into four types, based on two central axes as follows: non-commercial/commercial and anti-fashion/fashion-friendly. Unlike traditional memes, Internet-based fashion memes emphasize elements of transformation through creativity as well as imitation, which has become a persisting contemporary trend beyond temporary phenomena.

• International Journal of Costume and Fashion
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.73-87
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• 2017

Monpe, Korean women's wartime attire during the Japanese colonization period, has survived for 70 years as typical baggy workpants for rural women and emerged as retro-fashion. This paper applied a theory of "meme" to explain the monpe fashion trend in Korea. Based on literature review, empirical analyses were conducted by analyzing market and media including newspaper articles and blogs. We found that the monpe meme has evolved over time through variation, penetration, and diffusion. In terms of variation, the impression of monpe transitioned from a negative image to a positive one as a result of changes in design, functionality, and popular image. In terms of penetration, the monpe meme has spread into popular culture, again through mass media, with images of active, sexy, and attractive monpe-wearers on television and at popular occasions. Finally, the monpe meme has diffused throughout a broad range of consumers of various ages and both genders as an item of clothing for various occasions through diversified distribution channels. In this way, the development of monpe as fashionable clothing in Korea during the 2000s is itself a meme reflecting its evolution from a disgraceful colonial legacy to an item of contemporary fashion.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.83-99
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• 2013

This research is a follow-up study about analysis on the many different customer groups and their various culture trend, which intends to realize diverse values depending on the sense. The purpose of this study was to develop direction forecast for the future fashion industry through consideration about the characteristics of contemporary fashion industry by the change of different customer's culture trend. And also try to find solution to survival strategy of fashion fields able to evolve with customer. Change of the customer's cultural trend draws a shift in policy in the 21st fashion industry as follows : 1) mash-up 2) complexation through decentering and blurring 3) invisible and immaterial value oriented 4) expansion of minor small market. Moreover, this shows sociocultural meaning as follows. First is spread of flexible and horizontal relationship through collaborative consumption and collaboration. Second is concentration on floating and indeterminate chance through dismantling of various different fashion categories. Third is formation of the permanent difference by selection and focus. Last is expansion of understanding about cultural-ecology. Customer cultural trend is 'meme' of cultural gene in fashion field, so it intends to co-evolute with customer by continuous change.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.1-17
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• 2021

The development of the Internet has led to the emergence of an internet meme culture using duplication. This phenomenon has appeared in the fashion field as 'fashion memes' and its playful expression has helped it to spread. Vetements is one of the well-known brands that actively incorporates fashion memes into their fashion. The purpose of this study was to examine the playfulness of Mikhail Bakhtin's Carnival Theory and identify the playful identity, design characteristics, and implications of Vetements' fashion memes in light of Bakhtin's playfulness. The research methods were literature research and collection case analysis, and empirical content research was conducted in parallel. The scope of this study was fashion memes shown in the products from 2017 S/S to 2019 F/W. The study results showed that Bakhtin's playfulness could be divided into "playfulness in the destruction of hierarchy", "playfulness in grotesque imagery" and "playfulness in the emphasis on the lower bodily stratum". Based on these findings, the playful identity of Vetements' fashion meme images can be described as follows. First, it breaks down the existing order of fashion brands like the destruction of hierarchy in Bakhtin's theory. Second, it is grotesque; it is strange, eerie, yet ridiculous at the same time. Third, it is a playful metaphor of contamination, filth, and lower stratum. The modes of embodiment of such identity include Vetements' collaboration with famous brands, the use of cheap items, and the expression of genderless ideas.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.519-529
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• 2022

This research analyzed the characteristics of Hanfu street snaps in the Chinese version of TikTok to determine the development and meaning of Hanfu. Based on grounded theory, this study selected 102 representative cases by sorting Hanfu street snaps on TikTok according to popularity. Subsequently, through open coding, the cases were organized and summarized into five main categories. The findings are as follows: 1) The national cultural pride has enabled a greater number of Hanfu fans and groups to upload short videos promoting the Hanfu movement on TikTok to expand the influence of the activities and popularize cultural knowledge. 2) The users attempted cross-cultural communication by participating in cultural festivals in Western countries wearing Hanfu. 3) The 'See now buy now' function of TikTok enables numerous Hanfu merchants to upload short videos about Hanfu products to promote their products and boost sales. 4) As 'gamification' affects everyday life, computer game enthusiasts among them wear Hanfu in the form of role-playing. 5)As a unique "meme" phenomenon on TikTok, wearing Hanfu to make interesting videos has also become a form of entertainment. Thus, although the characteristics of Hanfu street snaps on TikTok originated from the transmission of Hanfu culture, the culture has now been transformed through social media into symbolic consumption and play culture.