• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1051-1060
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to examine the different communication messages behind African women's hairstyles, and to compare young and old African women's hairstyles. The contents of this research are: the hairstyle as communication media, the types of African women's hairstyles, and the difference between young and old women's hairstyles. We used a review of literature and an empirical study as the research methods for this study. For the literature review, we used papers on African hairstyles, and we linked hairstyles to corresponding communication. For the empirical study, we took a database of 240 pictures (120 pictures of young women and 120 pictures of old women) from websites related to African hairstyles and we analyzed the pictures to differentiate between young and old African women's hairstyles. The results of this study reveal that African women's hairstyles express messages of power, ceremony, and status and identification communication. Within the 240 pictures, we found out which hairstyles are preferred by young and old women. Young African women prefer long, straight hairstyles and artificial hair (wigs), while old women keep short, natural hairstyles. The result of this research will be useful for understanding African women's hairstyles as well as contribute to the field of hair design.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1021-1037
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• 2015

This study analyzed the impact of sense of self-efficacy on job satisfaction and organizational commitment among technical designers in order to acquire information needed for human resources management in the field of technical design. The study was implemented through a normative-descriptive survey method using a questionnaire. The sample consisted of 217 technical designers working at vendors and agents located in Seoul. The results revealed that there were significant differences in the sense of self-efficacy levels among technical designers according to age and work experience. Personal self-efficacy had a positive influence on both intrinsic and extrinsic job satisfaction, but also on affective, continuance, and normative organizational commitment. In addition, personal self-efficacy had a greater influence on extrinsic job satisfaction than social self-efficacy. Both personal and social self-efficacy influenced continuance commitment while there was no relationship between social self-efficacy and affective organizational commitment. However, a clear relationship was found between both social and personal self-efficacy and normative organizational commitment. Nevertheless, social self-efficacy had a greater influence on normative organizational commitment than personal self-efficacy. This fact demonstrates the need to exert more effort to promote the sense of personal self-efficacy of technical designers. These results could be used to provide appropriate proposals for human resources management in the field of technical design.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.595-604
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• 2014

Tiffany & Co. had been recognized so highly in Korea even before its official advance to the country in 1991 that a successful jewelry company was called 'Korean Tiffany'. The purpose of this study was to explain how American brand Tiffany had been spread and recognized among Korean people by analyzing related articles and advertisements during the period from the Liberation to the 1989. The research method used in this study was the articles of newspapers and relevant literature. This is the result that, with the run of movie 'Breakfast at Tiffany's in Korea in 1962, the trade name and trademark of Tiffany were used illegally not only by jewelry traders but also by other businesses. Other luxury jewelry brands in the same period could not enjoy indirect advertising and spillover effects as good as Tiffany. As a result, a successful jewelry company was called 'Korean Tiffany' in 1989, and the expression is still valid in the country.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.565-578
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• 2014

This study is about the cases in fashion figure appearing the contemporary fashion and their characteristics. The work aims at providing a further active research opportunity for fashion figure in the modern fashion field and finding several possible utilizations to help the overall fashion industry through examination. Research methodology was followed up with the related literature review and empirical work through the case study of multiple fashion figures denoted in the contemporary fashion. The results showed in the following way for types of fashion figure in the modern fashion. The first type is that its figure was used for stage apparatus in fashion collection, various properties, or garment tool as doll shifted to a certain object. The second type is that art toy or fashion doll was used as specially added product via way of cooperation with fashion brand to be applied as fashion figure alone or other properties for T-shirt or something like that. The third type is the case that multifariously sized figures were applied to show window or shop display. This type of fashion figure is basically an imbedded fashionistic feature, reflecting the rarity, publicity, playfulness, and artistic value.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.555-564
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• 2014

This study aims to develop motifs and patterns for fashion cultural product designs in order to promote the Iksan Seodong Festival, which is the most representative festival in Iksan region. The motifs and patterns developed in this study can be used to introduce the distinct traditional culture depicting the legendary Seodong tale. This study used Adobe Illustrator CS4 and Adobe Photoshop CS4 to reconstruct the lotus motifs found from the green-oiled-lotus-motif rafter tile, the atrifact from Iksan Mireuksaji Museum. This lotus motif and the motif based on the Iksan City's logo were applied to a repeating pattern with colorways using the CMYK found from the Iksan city's logo. A total of 24 product designs, including 8 necktie designs, 8 scarf designs, and 8 T-shirts designs, were presented for fashion cultural products. The designs developed in this study can promote not only the local Iksan culture but also the national image of Korea on a global scale.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.526-542
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in the dissatisfaction with and design preferences for mountain gear among the segments divided by specialization activity-pursued for recreational mountaineering. Data were collected by questionnaire survey from 900 subjects with the experiences of mountaineering and purchasing mountain gear in the past year, and 891 were used for the data analysis. The results of the study were as follows: Three factors were formulated based on mountaineering specialization activity-pursued: expertise-pursued mountaineering, mountaineering with psychological attachment and activity-oriented mountaineering. Four segments were identified based on the specialization activity-pursued: the emotionally-committed, the continuously-participated, the expertise-pursued, and the passively-participated. Significant differences were found in dissatisfaction with and design preference for mountain gear among the segments. The expertise-pursued tended to be more dissatisfied with color and fabric than the others, and preferred various mountain gear design of shape, color combination and construction line. On the other hand, the passively-participated tended to prefer simple and comfortable style with solid color and simple color combination.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.640-653
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of store attributes on brand equity of and brand attitude toward Korean SPA brands. Data were collected from women living in Seoul in ages from 18 to 39 with purchasing experience at Korean SPA brands. A total of 554 questionnaires were used in the statistical analysis including factor analysis and structure equation analysis. The results were as follows: For store attributes, 8 factors were extracted: product assortment, fashionability, price, quality, store environment, service, convenience in location and advertisement. Two factors, brand awareness, brand image were extracted for brand equity, and brand attitude was derived as a single dimension. Product-related store attributes such as product assortment, price, quality have positive effects on brand awareness, brand image and brand attitude. Other attribute such as store environment has positive effect on brand awareness and brand image, Attribute such as advertisement has positive effect on brand awareness and service, convenience in location have positive effect on brand attitude. Moreover, brand image and brand awareness have positive effect on brand attitude. These results indicate the product-related attributes are important factors to consider for improving brand equity and brand attitude for Korean SPA brands.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.743-755
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• 2016

This study aimed to reveal the designer's creative process in the development of clothing designs. The researcher has taken roles both as a design practitioner and an observer. The full process of design development was concurrently documented while working to solve a specific problem. This included noting down the concept, keywords, and detailed scratch ideas, as well as refining the design by collecting sketches and taking photos. Integrated data from the captured design process were analyzed based on Lamb and Kallal's apparel design framework, which included problem identification, construction of preliminary ideas, design refinement, prototype development, and evaluation. The functional, expressive, and aesthetic (FEA) criteria of the entire process were thus assessed. Additionally, five professional apparel reviewers evaluated the design project based on FEA criteria. The results showed the processes for identifying targets and intentions, extracting the main elements from sources, developing the major visual concepts, and making final adjustments. Ultimately, this study revealed how a designer manages each stage of the creative design process. Sharing such detailed observations of the design process can help refine the knowledge involved in each stage of the creative process, and provide guidance for instructors in design education.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.788-802
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• 2016

Sportswear transforms itself into a new fashion item to satisfy desires for beauty in addition to having functionality and movability for sports activities. Sportswear is not in fashion just temporarily but comes in various forms along with sociocultural phenomenon that put emphasis on well-being and leisure. This research aims to study the needs of the bikers who ride bicycles or cycles has become a popular outdoor activity, and give suggestions for high functional sports design that can satisfy the needs of the highly demanding taste of athletes. To understand the design development direction and design preference, practical consumer needs were derived through a survey analysis on bike wear purchasing satisfaction and actual wearing state by bike riders. For consumer needs analysis, focus group interview, in-depth interview and questionnaire method were used. Based on analysis of those researches, athleisure bike wears appropriate for urban sports activities were categorized into sports, life, fitness and leisure 4 styles for athleisure bike wear design development. It is believed that this study will contribute to in the category expansion of sports wear market and satisfy the consumer demands for functional and specialized casual bike wears as well as fashion factors optimized to life style of modern people.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.817-824
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• 2016

The introduction of natural dyes into modern dye houses is very promising green chemistry concept that should be popularized more to reduce the dependency of leather dyeing on some toxic and non-biodegradable synthetic dyes. In this study, the properties of dyeing of cochineal on cow leather were evaluated. The proper dyeing conditions were identified with dye uptake (K/S values) depending on the colorant concentration, dyeing duration, dyeing temperature, and dye bath pH. For the proper mordanting conditions, color changes for different mordants were observed as $La^{*}b^{*}$ and H V/C values. Color fastness (light, rubbing, and dry cleaning) was also examined. Additionally, antibacterial properties and UV protection were examined. The results were as follows: The optimized dyeing conditions were 300% o.w.f., $40^{\circ}C$, 40 min., and pH 5. The cow leather color was red in the absence of mordanting, while it was red purple after being mordanted with Al and Cu, and purple mordanted with Fe. The K/S value of cow leathers increased in the order of the dyeing using $AlK(SO_4)_2$ > $CuSO_4$ > $FeSO_4$. The colorfastness to light and rubbing were reduced compared to original (untreated) cow leather. However dry cleaning fastness was very satisfactory, with a 4~5 rating. The dyed and pre-mordanting dyed cow leather showed excellent antibacterial properties.