A Study on Soviet Constructive Fashion in 1920s

1920년대 소비에트 구성주의 패션에 관한 연구

  • 조윤경 (홍익대학교 디자인교육원) ;
  • 금기숙 (홍익대학교 미술대학)
  • Published : 1998.01.01

Abstract

The wave of Avant-garde swept away all in the unique social background so called 'October Revolution' and the early 1900 Russian society which was able to absorb and accept anything. The Russian avant-garde has been affected by the Cubism and the Futurism those had peculiarly appeared in the early twentieth century, spreaded out to three spheres: the Suprematism, the Rayonism and the Constructivism. The Russian Constructivism has appeared in this background, concretely and ideally ex-pressed the ideology of the revolution into the artistic form and made an huge influence to the whole Russian society. The Constructivist like Tatlin, naum Gabo, Pevaner, Rodchenko, Stepanova, Popova and Exter gave great effect on the Soviet Constructive fashion design in 1920's after the Revolution. The Soviet costume in 1920s hold in common the characteristicss of the Constructive graphic as it is, geometrical and abstractive form, energetic and motility. In fashion design, these graphic qualities have been showed as the application of geometrical form and architectural image, physical distortion and transformation. And in textile design, the simple, dynamical presentation has been appeared. We can classify the Soviet costume at this time into three occasions. The first term is from late 1910 th mid 1920, and it is altered from folk costume design to modern one. With Lamanova as the first on the list, using the folk mitif, the Constructive expression of simple form has been gradually revealed in design. Designers like Makarova, Pribylskaia and Mukhina produced the plane, simple chemise style with the decoration of the Russian traditional motif. From early to late 1920 is the second term, and it is at the pick of the most active processing of the Constructive design. Not only at the costume in daily life but also at the theatrical costume and textile, the con-structive design has been represented all avail-able fields. Many Constructivists including Stepanova, Popova, Exter and Rodchenko took part in the textile design and costume design so as to evlvo their aesthetic concept. The third term is from late 1920 to early 1930. The socialistic realism has dominated over the whole culture and art, the revolutionary dynamic motif has been presented also in textile design. The formative features of Soviet Constructive fashion design are; silhouette, from, motif, color and fabric. The first, the silhouette : a straight rectangular silhouetted has been expressed through the whole period and a volumed one with distorted human body shape has introduced in the theatrical costume design. The second, the form: many lengthened rectangular forms have been made at beginnings, but to the middle period, geometrical, architectural forms have been more showed and there are energy and movement in design. At the last period, only a partial feature-division has been seen. The third, the motif; no pattern or ethnic motif has been partly used at beginnings, a figure like circle, tri-angle has gradually appeared in textile design. At latter period, a real-existent motif like an airplane has been represented with graphing and simplicity. The fourth, the color ; because of insufficient dyeing, neutral color like black or grey color has been mainly covered, but after middle term, a primary color or pastel tone has been seen, contrast of the fabric; without much development of textile industry after the Revolution, thick and durable fabrics have been the main stream, but as time had going to the last period, fabrics such as linen, cotton, velvet and silk have been varously choesn. At the theatrical costume, new materials like plastics and metals that were able to accentuate the form. The pursuit of popularity, simplicity and functionalism that the basic concept of Constructive fashion is one of the "beauty" which has been searching in modern fashion. And now we can appreciate how innovative and epochal this Soviet Constructive fashion movement was.ement was.

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