십이지(十二支) 동물을 활용한 생활한복 스타일의 유치원복 디자인 개발

Abstract

Sending children to preschool educational institutions such as kindergarten became a common trend due to the increase of double-income couples and great interest in early education. This is an important period for children as they will experience social life for the first time. Most kindergartens where children start their social life for the first time recommend children to wear uniforms. Children may gain the sense of belonging and psychological stability by wearing the uniform and may also feel sense of community and extended self. Kindergarten uniforms are significant as clothes in this aspect. This study intended to develop practical Korean clothes for kindergarten children using the twelve zodiac animals for children at the age of 3 to 5, who learn how to wear clothes and develop their identity in the process. As a method for this study, the literature review examined the origin and symbolism of the twelve zodiac animals and kindergarten uniforms by collecting data through museum homepages, kindergarten homepages, and internet news articles. For the empirical study, Adobe Photoshop CS6 and Adobe Illustration CS6 were used for the character design using zodiac animals and the illustration of the works and the researcher made 4 styles of practical Korean clothes for kindergarten uniforms. In this study, the researcher prepared spring and fall suit for boys, spring and fall suit for girls, indoor winter suit and outdoor winter suit for both boys and girls. The works incorporated the embroidery patches on horse, sheep, and monkey themes which represent twelve zodiac animals for 3-years-old, 4-years-old, and 5-years-old children who would enroll the kindergarten in 2019. Wearing practical Korean clothes which maintain the original form of traditional clothes from childhood may induce children’s interest in and understanding of Korean traditional clothes. Furthermore, it may become an opportunity for them to continuously have interest in traditional clothes and culture even when they grow into adults. This study will contribute to the effort of maintaining and developing Korean traditional clothes.