• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.86-98
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• 2008

This study is purposed to determine the correlation between contemporary fashion and game characters' clothes and to analyze the formative property of the game characters' clothes expressed in the contemporary fashion. The temporal scope of this study is from 2004 to 2007 based on general online game ranks, while the game type is limited to 3D-online role playing game. The most popular clothes of game characters are analyzed and found to have imaginary, sensualistic, and cross-sexual features. These are also expressed as Cyber resistance image, Femme fatal image and Asexual image in the contemporary fashion. Firstly, the Cyber resistance image in the recent fashion is shown as belligerent, destructive and surrealistic image in contemporary fashion. Secondly, the Femme fatal image represents bewitching, brutal and narcissistic image with sleek materials and glowing colors in contemporary fashion. Thirdly, the Asexual image means the concept of sex as the neuter gender. Especially, this image has been introduced by simple and straight silhouette, black, silver, khaki colors in fashion. Accordingly, the clothes of game characters with the popularity and formative property have close correlation with contemporary fashion even if they do not pursue for practical creativity. In this respect, they can consolidate the position as a new fashion trend if they are developed with various design ideas.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.15 no.3 s.68
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• pp.431-445
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to analyze and theorize the characteristics of femme fatale in fashion illustration since 1980. The method of this study was to analyze the documentaries for theoretical studies about femme fatale and the visual characteristics in fashion illustration works since 1980. The results of this study were as follows: Femme fatale expressed in the general realm of art was icon of fatal and seductive eroticism in late 19th century. She is composed of diverse images like mythology, exoticism, fear and sensuality. The characteristics of her image in fashion illustration were expressed into de-body image by union of animal and female body, or machine and female body, duplicity of death and sexuality, sexual decadence or abnormality and powerful masculine taste. First, de-body image by union of animal and female body, or machine and female body was expressed in transformed mythical image or bizarre and demonic image, grotesque image linked by picture of female body and painting of animal image, and cyborg image linked by machine and realistic female body by digital media. Second, duplicity of death and sexuality was expressed in juxtaposition by sexual pose, body and something metaphorical and symbolic depiction and de-constructive depiction of death. Third, sexual decadence or abnormality was expressed in fetishistic style, obscene depiction of cheap and hedonistic sexuality, masochistic depiction like antisocial and diseased sex appeal. Forth, powerful masculine taste was expressed in man's face, body, pose, masculine fashion, man's role related to crime and threatening weapon, etc. As mentioned above, femme fatale in fashion illustration was expressed in diverse images by fashion illustrator's point of view. Although she was originated by men's fantastic vision, she brings a catharsis to human being. And she is also recognized as new paradigm and positive cultural sign in our times.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.16-33
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• 2004

Up to now, image of femme fatale has undergone constant transformation to be inherited and developed through various genres of movies. With few exceptions such cases have represented sensuality of women by costumes with the most distinctive and exaggerated sexuality. Temptresses in movies are mostly drawn as extravagant and gorgeous one or a gloomy and dreary woman. Such an image is reinforced with make-up, hair style, accessories, attitude and manner of talking. The movie 'Chicago' is a musical film that crosses the boundaries of reality and fantasy with dancing and singing. Its lighting, stage setting, powerful and sexy dancing augmented already exaggerated and sensual costumes. Following is the analysis of costumes for two heroines as images of femme fatale. Strong contrast of color among black, red and blue on see-through & stickingly tight body suit signifies liberal mind and arrogant charisma of Velma. The contrast, haughty gestures, cropped black hair and thick makeups represent sex appeal, aggressive image, and fearlessly determined character of femme fatale. Roxie wears decent dresses in front of public and gorgeous stage costume in fantasy to convey two images of bad girl and angel. Her body suit, showing off lustering materials and dazzling bead decoration, is rather loose but still displays her bodyline to emphasize sexiness for representation of desire in fantasy. Chastity and innocence are implied with the decency of dresses in reality. They were specially chosen to draw public sympathy and indicate cunning disguise of Roxy who desperately wants to realize her desire. These dauntless costumes, which sufficiently express inside aspirations of Velma and Roxie later denote open and realistic social yearning rather than fatal desire hidden behind sensual beauty. It doesn't exist as imperfect, unrealistic and socially disdainful ambition as the image of femme fatale of paintings and movies did before in history. Femme fatale is expressed with deep cleavage, silk dresses that explicitly display bodyline, sexiness of mesh stockings with garter belts. All of these won't be utilized as a negative tool to seduce and destroy someone anymore but rather, they should represent rightful and fair nature of humans such as men's curiosity who secretly steal a look at them or female sexuality that women spontaneously want to show off.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.13 no.5 s.58
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• pp.763-776
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to analyze the glamour image in contemporary women's fashion since 1990. The method of study is to analyze the documentary and fashion magazines about the glamour images. Most of all, glamour has been composed by connection of hollywood film industry and fashion. Glamourous body image showed sensual, threatening and vague body. Formative characteristics in fashion showed a tight silhouette, neglige, lace look, dress showing neck and shoulder, fur coat, stiletto, diamond, gold, big and thick jewelry, satin, velvet, lace, mink and fox fur, etc. Internal meaning was a fantasy, ideal, wealth, fame, hyper-feminity, vagueness, vulgarity, sexuality, mystery, professional, fatalness, aggressiveness and evil. Since 1990, the glamour images in fashion were as follows; First, the glamour with hyper-feminity showed a classical femme-fatal image as fearful existence with a power more than allure. Second, the glamour with vulgarity showed an exaggerated, cheap and popular kitsch image, which have intense colors, lavish surfaces and excessive sexual signs. Third, the glamour with classical sensuality showed a hi-glamour image of hollywood actresses being active from 1930 to 1950, which was expressed glittery dress, stole, diamond, fur wrap, hill, luxury dress. Fourth, the glamour with sexual perversion showed an erotic, vague and sexual drag image, and fetish costume. Fetishistic elements were rubber, PVC, stiletto, thick and high boots and corset and particularly, they were a main method of expression of glamour image. Fifth, the glamour with future image showed a mechanical and mysterious image and it was a conscious style by metallic, plastic and sleeky fabric. In conclusion, glamour fashion image is an ideal beauty type of women and will exist as a meaningful aesthetic sign in women's fashion.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.50-65
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• 2009

The main purpose of this study is to identify characteristics of shapes of John Galliano's Dior Collection as the chief executive designer of Christian Dior Maison during $1996{\sim}2007$ after he showed himself in Paris in 1990. This study was based on the analyses of John Galliano's design trends of his collections, the pictures of his works in Christian Dior's collection, real works, documents and fashion magazines, newspapers, mass media, internet sites and other visual materials. The study identified characteristics of shapes in Dior Collection until 07/08 F/W as the chief executive designer of Christian Dior Maison, and the design trends before his post-Paris period. Followings are the conclusions of the study. First, Galliano was open to any types of cultures as a liberalist, and also respectful to the tradition or principles. He led the fashion business with new trends by exploring both sides. Second, he succeeded in commercializing his avant-garde feature. Especially, His creativity changed the image of Christian Dior to younger and more casual one. Third, born in England and worked in French, he always took both English (Victorian Style) and French(Napoleon era, Femme Fatal style) sides, and showed excellent formulation that the times needed by combining topical Chinese, Japanese, Egyptian styles.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.20
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• pp.241-274
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• 2010

Due to the remarkable changes in the early twentieth century, the new invention and technology impacted peoples' everyday lives and people started to use the word, modern, to apply specifically to what pertained to present times and to designate a movement in what was new and not old-fashioned-a condition of newness. In the present day, however, the fantastic cultural changes of a century ago have now become commonplace, and what was once considered radically new is no longer a reason to marvel. This paper considers what it mean to be modern, once the new is no longer new. This question seems to remain as complicated and inappropriate to ponder because the consideration and impact of modernity cannot simply end with the end of an era. This paper investigates how the interconnected nature of popular culture provides apt illustrations to reveal the ambivalent nature of modernity and postmodernity. In doing so, first of all, this paper pays attentions to the notion of modernity and popular culture which emerged together in the early twentieth century when technology and mass consumer culture were promoted over the world. Also, it examines how popular culture represents a complex of mutually-interdependent perspectives and values that influence society and its institutions in various ways as the image of modernity continues to build in a postmodern era. That is, popular culture is identified as a large amount of intertextuality or collective experiences due to its intermingling of complementary distribution sources and techonology. Thus, this paper explores that popular culture devotes itself other images or narratives instead of referring to the real world and its output revisits the contemporary or past times in other places, being a means to produce and reproduce the accumulated images of the modern which shapes ceaseless simulacra of modernity over complexities of modernity. In order to find a critical juncture of the complex networks of modernity and popular culture, this paper considers two places, Chicago and Gyeongsung in the 1920s and 1930s in which the rapid modern experience took place and the modern movement forced the two societies to join the mass consumer culture whether willingly or not. Next, this paper considers two movies released in 2002 and 2008 that exemplify the complexities of modernity in Chicago and Gyeongung of the 1920s and 30s: Chicago and Modern Boy. Both films have common themes of the 1920s and 30s such as violence, adultery, femme fatal, and criminal themes with the forms of musical, dance, drama, and romance. Through the textual analysis of both Chicago and Modern Boy, two films are compared in observing the similar and different ways in which two films deal with the theme of modernity when they are represented from the contemporary perspectives. More specifically, this paper questions how modernity is present in contemporary cultural forms such as commercial and hybrid genre films; and how these movies create a new image of modern by embodying the double coding. Ultimately, this paper aims at realizing the paradox of double edged modernity and its ongoing discourse that controls people's consciousness through the medium of popular culture.