• 패션비즈니스
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.64-75
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• 2024

Clothing is a powerful medium that reflects the environment, situation, and trends of the times. It has been an important subject of semiotic analysis, particularly in East Asia. While Korea, China, Japan, and Mongolia are geographically close, they have each developed unique characteristics in their clothing. These characteristics continue to evolve over time. The purpose of this paper is to explore the modern fashion design characteristics of these four East Asian countries by using the Greimas symbol square. To achieve this, the paper follows a research method consisting of several steps. First, it considers previous studies on the topic. Second, it analyzes fashion collections from Paris, Milan, New York, and London, as well as the Seoul and Cruise collections, from 2013 to 2024. Third, it compares costumes and modern fashion designs of brands known for their East Asian influences. Finally, it applies the framework of the Greimas symbol square to analyze the main elements of dress culture in these four countries and their significance in modern fashion collections. The findings of this study reveal that East Asian costume culture can be summarized into four distinct characteristics in modern fashion. Korea is characterized by "moderation," China by "exaggeration," Japan by "distinctiveness," and Mongolia by "symbolism."