Abstract
For the study on the Latin American culture reflected in fashion designs since 2000, the applications of Latin American culture shown in the four major collections from 2000 S/S to 2005 F/W (110 pieces) and some African designers' collections (157 pieces) have been analyzed and compared in three categories - forms, patterns and accessories. First, in the formal application of traditional clothes, the traditional elements of Indio culture are utilized in both the four major collections (76.8%) and the Latin American designers' collection (77.1%). Quechquemitl, the traditional Indio clothes are utilized in various forms in the four major collections, while the Latin American designers adopt various forms of traditional clothes, such as quechquemitl, camisa and pollera. Second, in the textile design, the patterns from Indio's traditional textile design are utilized in both the four major collections (68.7%) and the Latin American designers's collections (5.6%). The remarkable difference between the Latin American designers and the western designers is that the former like to mix the simple and primitive Indio culture with the colorful Iberian culture, and to utilize various patterns of feather, which is an important symbol in the traditional culture, expressing tradition in the modern touch. On the other hand, the western designers change the primitive and handcraft feel of Indio patterns into colorful ones, or mix the colorful Spanish-style flower patterns with primitive and passionate feel. Third, simple and handcraft feel of Indio accessories are utilized in modern fashion in both the four major collections and the Latin American designers' collections. The most remarkable difference between the two group of designers' collections is that various feather patterns are used in Latin American designers' collection, while the accessories reminding of relics of Maya and Inca are widely used in the four major collections.