East Meets West in Costume Design Inspired by the Past, Stimulated by the Future This exhibit represents the collaboration of a historian of clothing and textiles, a fashion designer, and a costume designer for theatrical productions to investigate clothing forms as they are influenced by their different cultural traditions colliding with the future.

One part of the exhibit explores the historically inspired hand-dyed paper garments of Hyun-Ju Kwon, a historian in clothing and textiles, and a professor of fashion design and beauty at Howon University, Korea. The distinctive silhouettes of Korean garments are mixed with the corseted and bustled features common in historical Western costume. Hyun-Ju Kwon is interested in comparative studies between eastern and western dress as each has evolved into its own distinctive forms. She has written many papers based on anthropological findings and on religious and historical dress.

Also on display are the futuristic constructions of Sang-Rye Lee, professor of fashion design at Tongmyong University of Information Technology, Korea. Sang-Rye Lee has a background in fashion design and a strong interest in the aesthetics of design. She also has done comparative studies between eastern and western dress, but in the shapes and forms of contemporary clothing. She is interested in futurism in fashion design and the effects of film design on fashion and vice versa.

A third feature of the exhibit is the costume design for the futuristic film, The Lathe of Heaven. Created in 1975 by Laura Crow, an internationally known designer and head of the design program in the Department of Dramatic Arts at the University of Connecticut. This look was meant to project thirty years into the future. Since that future has become today, Crow wants to review those designs, which were inspired by Korean and Tibetan clothing. The film—a sort of science- fiction theatrical blend—used elements of both cultures to create a totally new and different look that might exist in the future.

Babbidge Library Plaza, West Alcove
Curator: Jane Recchio