• International Journal of Costume and Fashion
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.18-35
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• 2008

As an essential factor of plasticity in fashion, color reflects socio-cultural trends and has possessed different symbolism in its historical development. This study aims to search for an academic approach towards finding out how the concepts and symbolism of the color white were expressed in actual clothing. This will be realized through the investigation of the various meanings this particular color possesses. The secondary purpose of this study is to give shape to the results of above said academic investigation by proposing their integration into actual fashion design. The methodology employed in this study and results are as follows. First, the symbolism of the color white abstracted from the research of literature on this subject was classified into six categories; purity, grace, abstinence, sublimity, decorativeness, and avant-garde. Second, for empirical research, six designs were developed and produced into white dresses. The development of these dress designs was realized by presenting the symbolism of the aforementioned six categories into images, and the formative constructions of these images by applying various design details, expressive techniques, and characteristics of the materials. Through an investigation into the color white, which has been excluded from previous chromatics research as a major color, integration of the symbolism and chromatic image of this color into the actual fashion design process is made possible. The significance of this study is in that it proposes multifarious possibilities in fashion design, and also in extending the horizon of chromatics research in fashion through the realization of the above process.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fashion and Beauty
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• v.3 no.2 s.2
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• pp.25-30
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• 2005

This study is to research the symbolism of the Eastern and Western costumes' color in films. Therefore, I chose movies about colors, which are 'Trzy Kolory', a Western movie directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski and 'Hero', an Eastern movie directed by Zhang Yimou. The purpose of this study is to figure out the symbolism of the common colors shown in both movie which are red, blue and white. Also, by comparing the eastern and western color symbols I studied the ambivalence of colors. Therefore, the comparison of the eastern and western color symbolisms are as the followings. The color red symbols charity in the movie and jealous, hatless, lies, expansion, self esteem, resist, struggle and sadness in the movie . The color blue symbols freedom, lost, gloomy and sadness in the movie and sacrifice and sadness in the movie . The color white symbols equality and emptiness in the movie and true love, sadness and sacrificed love in the movie . Consequently, it appears that the colors symbolize differently in the East and the West. Three series of which is the West movie has more positive meanings than the Eastern movie. Therefore, the meanings of symbols of the costumes' color are different in the East and West as they have different cultures, and also they could be expressed differently by the directors intention.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.67-83
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• 2011

Korean film "Swiri"(1999) as well as a popular film is the first Korean blockbuster Film. In addition, the number of viewers is very common in Korea a large ripple effect that Korea film "Swiri" in his works were selected to act as a hero and contextual significance confrontation between the two figures through the symbolic analysis of clothing styles and colors Analyzing the meaning of space and a scene in the background with the colorful costumes and would like to study. In detail, the film's central character theme and image suggesting that dramatic reversal the character's personality through the clothes I was expressed through clothing styles and colors were analyzed with symbolism. Korean film "Swiri" the film's DVD player application from the situation or story that is considered to be important psychological conflicts selected twenty-seven screens in the study were collected still images. Data collected for the effect of color contrast and color analysis technical. The center of the video footage, the film's main characters costumes and background colors of the space was to examine the significance and symbolism.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.17-33
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to find the character of Cleopatra (69 B.C-30 B.C) by analyzing materials about Cleopatra, and to figure out symbolism and costume presented in movie . Costume of the main character, Cleopatra, compound the type of Egyptian traditional clothes, the change of it, and the trend in the 1960's. And, the symbolic meaning of it is also reinforced by adding ancient Egyptian myth to it. This kind of symbol is usually represented in Cleopatra clothing, especially in weaving pattern, embroidery, and ornament. And color of the clothes not only have their on predominance, but also can have their meaning fade away by mixed with each other, and also the shape has relation with the meaning of color. To sum up, the color and pattern of ancint Egyptian Cleopatra as alive formalize the power that come from coherence with the sun god in the center, which a used to maintain the power of the king. Costume in movie also contained color and pattern as a symbol of religion to symbolize the absolute power of king. These kinds of symbols are reemerging through historical recurrences and exotic interests.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.1-12
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• 2003

In this study I surveyed the dress and the color symbolism of Scarlett and Melanie in the movie "Gone with the Wind" based on the novel by Margaret Mitchell. In investigating the dress and the color symbolism, I analyzed Scarlett and Melanie's image as described in the novel, and examined how the symbolic imagery is represented through coloration based on the DVD reproduction of the movie "Gone with the Wind" originally produced in 1939. In her novel, the author Margaret Mitchell introduced two women, Scarlett and Melanie, whose respective image sharply contrasts with each other. To express Scarlett's young, vigorous, lusty, and vivacious image, she uses green to depict the character, clothing, and background on the whole. Black, which mainly expresses the death image of the mourning dress. Red symbolizes her fast and lavish image. On the other hand, gray is used to describe Melanie's sedate, shyness, and modest image while alluding to her gloomy atmosphere. Brown symbolizes her sedate and plain image in the novel. In the movie, green symbolizes Scarlett's overwhelming image of youth and liveliness as also depicted in the novel. Melanie, however, seems to appear consistently in gray-blue or purple dresses to reflect her image of modesty, sedation and dignity. Melanie's blue image contrasts with Scarlett's blue image in that the latter is used to hint at the omen to a tragedy to come. Red is used to express Scarlett's passionate and fast image. Black symbolizes death or mourning in the movie.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.37
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• pp.231-252
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• 1998

Since the costume directly express human mental and emotional status, colors of costume can be valuable data to grasp the spirit of the times. Black is noticeably used in modern fashion and the study for black costume is very useful to understand modern fashion. There-fore the study mainly approaches the black costume, finding its background of appearance and symbolism, reviews the symbolism and formality of black expressed in the field of paint-ing and design beyond the fashion, and compar-es to fashion. The study result of the thesis is as follows ; First, black as a color is a one to light other neighboring colors, while it is a static, con-tractible and outstandigly attractived color. Second, black color traditionally symbolizes death, earth, air, North and inferior level and in the painting, it symbolized death, despair, fantastic world and the expression of pent-up self, while cities have been symbolized in the black printing in modern times. In the design, black has appeared with the industrial society, which symbolizes functionality and modernity. Third, black in the fashion design was symbolized death, sternness simplicity, modernity, sex, resistance and so on. Death became conspicious by a religious factor since the old times, sternness was influenced by Spanish fashion in the 16th century, simplicity by Dutch fashion in the 17th century and modernity by Baudelaire dandyism and Chanel little black dress, while sex and resistance were urged to the modern times by teenage inferior culture and stickiness to sex. Fourth, the formative features of black costume prefer simplicity, tightness and bareness in form, and in material, usually used glancing materials changed by the effect of light, lace, see-through fabric and matte one with depth. As a result, the black color is summarized to symbol death, expression of self and modernity. It is not a color of emotion but of mentality and artificial one against nature. Black color in fashion gets a strong power to express self in the symbolic aspect and draws a higher attention on human body than the fashion itself. By these features, black costume will be continuously prefered in spite of changes of the fashion.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.167-182
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• 2014

This study researched the symbolic meaning of the costume colors in the independent film . The purpose of the study is to shed light on the relation between a film and the clothing color by exploring the symbolic meaning of costume colors as based on place images and as reflected in characters' internal psychological states and situations. The conclusions of this study are as follows. First, the colors primarily presented were neutral shades of black and white or dark, almost-black tones, representing the negative narrative structure and depicting the image of a human being. Second, a series of bright blue shades were presented to reflect the positive narrative structure of a human being returning successfully to reality. Third, the application of color, involving both the psychological aspect as well as the symbolism of color, was effectively delivered to the audience. Fourth, the emphasis on color in the smallest details of costumes was analyzed, and it was found that symbolic color effectively communicated the whole image of transformation as the story progressed, clearly delivered delicate emotional messages, and contained symbolism relating to particular places and situations.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.73-87
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• 2000

The purpose of this thesis is to make clear the symbolism expressed by the gorgeous costume elements in the portraits of Elizabeth 1. After English paintings in 16th century and the Portraits of Elizabeth I being investigated in view of its characteristics, the symbolism in the costume of the portraits was studied in analysis. The flowers, the pearls and the sieve denoting a pure virgin predominantly appeared, snake for discretion and wisdom, phoenix for eternal youth and renewal, pelican for motherhood, and eyes and ears for almightiness and sound judgement as an utmost power was found. The color was mainly of black or white and sometimes of these two mixtures. The white means a purity and black, eternity and the mixture of them signifies a virtue of purity. This thesis may help people understand the gorgeous costume of Elizabeth 1. not as an external extravagance, but as an internal emblem or signs delivering its specific significance.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.53 no.8
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• pp.81-89
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• 2003

This study is to consider both the eastern and western concepts of colors focusing on the five colors(Blue, Red, Yellow, White, Black) derived from the principles of Yang and the Five Elements, which are the traditional philosophy of the East and to analyze the modern fashion on the basis of the theoretical background. This study is summarized in the following. The eastern color concept has been formed by the influence of the principles of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements, which explain the generation and extinction of the universe. When it comes to the five colors, the symbolism of the east and west has much in common relatively. Concerning the rule of the five colors match, both the rules of the east and west are highly similar with each other. As mentioned above, the study shows that the five colors concepts and match rules between the east and west have much in common. There is a high possibility to connect the compatibility and incompatibility of the eastern five colors with scientific western theory of color harmony.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.687-699
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• 2011

Folk costumes in East Asia are characteristic in their colors of the five-element colors based on natural colors or achromatic colors (such as white or black) that imply the beauty of nature or the beauty of naivety. The Asian look adopts forms of Asian costumes into western costumes in terms of structure, silhouette, ornament, pattern, and color; in particular, color had very limited attributes. This study is a comparative study on colors, shown in East Asian folk costumes and the Asian look. It discovered the differences of color in East Asian folk costumes and the Asian look to discuss the backgrounds of difference. For research, it simultaneously conducted literary reviews and empirical research based on the Asian look. Asian colors that appeared in some costumes of the Asian look were influenced by East Asian costumes, while the primary color of playfulness or color for low chroma or black exuding a contemporary nuance (common in the western fashion) were prevalent. This revealed that the costume that had the attribute of playfulness in terms of structure, ornament, or patterns is adopted in western fashion through the fusion of eastern forms and pastiche. Colors of the Asian look are different from those of East Asia with superficial imitation, in which all the East Asian spirits and symbolism are lost. While folk costumes of East Asia hold symbolism derived from Asian spirits, the Asian look disintegrates the ideology of East Asian costumes and replaces it with a Postmodern playfulness.