• 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.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.165-184
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to analyze the expanded characteristics that can be found in the fashion designs of JUUN. J. For the study, the concept and discourse related to theme expansion have been theoretically reviewed, and various types of expansive characteristics were derived by reviewing prior research related to the keyword expanded characteristics. Photo data required for the analysis were collected through the official website of JUUN. J and Vogue, a worldwide fashion magazine. The scope of the survey was limited to 983 photographs collected from 28 collections from 2009 S/S through 2022 F/W. The results are as follows. First, the expansion of the human body, which is achieved by adding an empty space between the body and the clothing or using various materials to express the volume of the body, is expressed through two different forms in the designs of JUUN. J. Second, the expansion of time expresses the combination of different timelines, the meeting of the past and present or awe toward the unpredictable future. Third, the expansion of style, which is expressed by reinterpreting existing costumes or styles, is a type of expansion' that appears individually in the fashion designs of JUUN J. Such expansion of style can be found in the military inspired designs. Fourth, the expansion of space, which diversifies our perception of space by re-recognizing the concept of space, was implemented into the works and designs of JUUN. J through the convergence of different cultural aspects. Fifth, the expansion of gender, which is expressed through the continuous exploration of the borders of gender and the delivery of social messages, has appeared in the works of JUUN J. in the form of genderless design.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.40
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• pp.151-170
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• 1998

The purpose of this study is to examine the value of grotesque fashion and to predict the future fashion trend. The grotesque originates the formative art. It emerges towards of a century or transitional period in most case. In particular, it was used as the expressive method of an individual's inside and a satire on society through the work of artists in the Middle Age, the renaissance, the sym-bolism, the dadaism, the surrealism, the pop art, the technology art, and the post-modernism, etc. The grotesque in fashion is represented in the work of avant-garde fashion designers who lead the high fashion. The grotesque fashion which was combined with an image of non-formality, non-rationality, an absurdity and reality. It has been begun shape of female dress in the renaissance. Afterwards, it was represented in extremely exaggerated and distorted pop art, hippies' fashion in the 1960's. In the 1970's, it was reflected in genderless rock star and destructive punk fashion. It was also represented in the androgynous fashion which was combined with both sexes, the goth/gothic fashion which was expressed with a realistic and fanciful shape and the tattoo of skin-head in the 1980's. In the 1990's, the grungy look which was dirty and the cyber punk fashion. In general, it was also expressed by the avant-garde fashion designers. To sum up, a grotesque fashion which is expressed by experimental designers is classified into four shapes. 1, Union of some extraneous is expressed as different kinds of fashion theme, such as abnormality of texture, uses of surrealistic elements and chaos of sex. Although it appears that the abnormal union of grotesque has only discord and collision, it also shows a feeling of freedom for the tension. 2. Introduction of real and fanciful image is expressed as a cyborg, realistic description of disgusting animal skin and aggressive shape. Especially, it is worth while to notice Tierre Mugler and Alexander Macqueen's work which expressed the shape of mingling human of Middle Age. 3. distortion or exaggeration is expressed as an unformed shape, the exaggeration of a clothing size, the abnormal exaggeration of human body and the ignorance of clothing form. 4. Introduction of a disgusting image is expressed as an extremity of reality, motifs of death, clothing material of disgusting hair and the ostentation of sex. Motto which leads modern fashion is something new and shocking. The grotesque fashion is an expression of eagerness for something new. It often show something ironic in the form of humor which is embedded in an abnormal and shocking pattern. The grotesque fashion is represented as an extreme beauty. It will stand as an important element of the future fashion and as a particular style with the change and fluidity.

• Journal of Family Relations
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.77-98
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• 2016

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore perceived meanings of dating and marriage among well-educated Korean couples who were in optimal marriageable ages. Particularly, an emphasis was placed on finding out where the traditional gender norms and post-modern contexts intersect on the couples' course of dating and marriage. Method: We undertook a qualitative analysis of 8 couples (age: 26-34) dating. Participants were limited to university graduates of upper-middle rank universities in Seoul, South Korea. The rationale for choosing such sample was based on the idea that characteristics of class is inherent in the act of dating and marriage, and that such characteristics lead to different contextual experiences in dating and marriage. This study was based on interviews conducted over a three-month time span. The interviews were first transcribed into research text and then subjects and key categories were drawn from the transcripts for analysis. Results: Participants sought meanings of joy, learning, and self-improvement in dating, and they were free from traditional gender norms in their romantic relationships. They viewed marriage as having a permanent companionship with their partner, becoming independent from their parents, and/or a social norm to be followed. Participants reported mixed perceptions about marriage in such fashion that they described their parents' relationship in terms of a gendered leader-supporter relationship, while viewing their own relationship as being genderless partners. In transition to parenthood, however, they regressed to traditional gender norms dichotomized as women being a homemaker and men being a breadwinner. In sum, participants displayed expectations that were inconsistent with regard to dating and marriage over the study period. That is, during the course of dating and early marriage, they did not hold separated gender norms; however, when transitioning from being a newly married couple to giving their first childbirth, expectations shifted to traditional gender norms and values. Conclusion: This suggests that it is not marriage, but the experience of childbirth and motherhood, which strengthen traditional gendered norms, engendering regeneration of the gender norms in families. The results indicate that there is a need to promote co-parenting behavior among the newly-married couples and to educate gender equality about parent roles or for parents in South Korea so that they can overcome traditional gendered norms in family.