Traditional clothing in Bulgaria and Japan in the context of globalization: Tradition and transformation

Radost LOZANOVA

Master's thesis

Traditional Clothing in Transition: A comparative study of kimono in Japan and folklore dress in Bulgaria

Abstract:

Traditional clothing can serve as a marker of belonging as well as identity. It has the potential to express political stances and cultural meanings. Bulgaria and Japan experienced a shift in sartorial practices in the nineteenth and twentieth century which led to changes in the role of traditional clothing from everyday clothing to a national symbol. What are the global and local processes which have influenced the development of traditional clothing, and how have they affected its current role? The study examines traditional clothing as part of the outward expressions of culture. It contributes to the scholarship concerning the relevance of cultural heritage in the construction of individual, national, and global identities across different contemporary cultural contexts. The analysis of literature, media, and interviews with Japanese and Bulgarian participants reveals how traditional clothing contributes to the construction of identities and reflects broader socio-cultural, economic and political changes. Respondents associated traditional clothing with its symbolic and aesthetic value, with individual and collective memories, and with national culture. Traditional clothing is used during holidays and special events. Memories of these experiences evoke an emotional connection which highlights the role of traditional dress in shaping both individual and collective identity. The study also explores the intersections between traditional clothing and contemporary consumer culture. Those include modern interpretations such as contemporary clothing with traditional designs, upcycling practices, and the combination of traditional and contemporary clothing. Traditional clothing has also been integrated into contemporary contexts, such as events associated with consumer culture, as well as digital markets. These intersections create tensions between local and global cultures, past and present, and preservation and modernization. The investigation offers a perspective on how the distance between these dichotomies is reduced through a combination of tradition and transformation.

Abstract:

Traditional clothing can serve as a marker of belonging as well as identity. It has the potential to express political stances and cultural meanings. Bulgaria and Japan experienced a shift in sartorial practices in the nineteenth and twentieth century which led to changes in the role of traditional clothing from everyday clothing to a national symbol. What are the global and local processes which have influenced the development of traditional clothing, and how have they affected its current role? The study examines traditional clothing as part of the outward expressions of culture. It contributes to the scholarship concerning the relevance of cultural heritage in the construction of individual, national, and global identities across different contemporary cultural contexts. The analysis of literature, media, and interviews with Japanese and Bulgarian participants reveals how traditional clothing contributes to the construction of identities and reflects broader socio-cultural, economic and political changes. Respondents associated traditional clothing with its symbolic and aesthetic value, with individual and collective memories, and with national culture. Traditional clothing is used during holidays and special events. Memories of these experiences evoke an emotional connection which highlights the role of traditional dress in shaping both individual and collective identity. The study also explores the intersections between traditional clothing and contemporary consumer culture. Those include modern interpretations such as contemporary clothing with traditional designs, upcycling practices, and the combination of traditional and contemporary clothing. Traditional clothing has also been integrated into contemporary contexts, such as events associated with consumer culture, as well as digital markets. These intersections create tensions between local and global cultures, past and present, and preservation and modernization. The investigation offers a perspective on how the distance between these dichotomies is reduced through a combination of tradition and transformation.

Keywords

traditional clothing, Japan, Bulgaria, consumer culture, identity

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 26. 6. 2024

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: doc. Mgr. Radmila Švaříčková Slabáková, Ph.D.

Palacký University Olomouc

Faculty of Arts

Master programme / field:
Euroculture / Euroculture