Reimagining Menswear Through the Exploration of Historical Cambodian Clothing and Cross-Cultural Dress

Abstract

This practice-based research develops personal connections between craft and cultural identity. Aspects of non-gendered historical Cambodian clothing from the early 18th and 19th centuries and formal qualities from womenswear in this research are investigated to contribute to the evolving dialogue of menswear. A melting pot of influences from French colonisation, neighbouring South Eastern countries, and a Belgian painting provided the cultural reference points for developing a contemporary menswear collection. The idea of cross-cultural dress is used to position traditional eastern costumes within a contemporary fashion context. This research develops and extends on a shift towards progressive menswear, questioning how clothing could be more fluid for men who have appreciations for ‘ambiguous’ qualities in womenswear. Elements from womenswear and menswear are used interchangeably to explore formal qualities such as structure, silhouettes, details, functionality and construction techniques. Exploring these elements is realised through collaging historical images and full-scale mock-ups into cultural-dress, which led to a new design approach that I embraced in this research.