(Dept. of Fashion Design, Dongduk Women's University)
In the 21th century, the age of image, people express and evaluate with images. Image is a symbol of a person or a thing. It simulates people's visual sense most quickly and precisely and is shared in the society. At the time, since it is acknowledged that there are few books available and lack of theoretical system with regard to image making, the purpose of this study was to get a theoretical access to image making by taking as an empirical case the case of Choi Byeongryeol, a candidate running for the congress in June 4, 1998 and combining it with theories of costume. Research methods employed here were to investigate the theoretical system of image making and fashion direction, and to analyze empirical cases. The boundary of the empirical case was limited to the candidate's fashion direction during the election period for 50 days from April 1998 to the election date June 4, 1998. The results of this study are as follows. First, personal image making aims at the establishment of one's own identity through building up an ideal image. Second, it is found that personal image making can make a complete image possible through fashion direction. Third, it is found that fashion direction functions as a symbol and communicative means with a result that the effect can penetrate to the society accurately and quickly. Fourth, it is found that fashion direction fit for a situation can enhance personal values and reinforce his or her competitive power to carry out the ultimate goals in the society. This study proved that fashion styling for personal image making expresses a person in a symbolic image, enhances his/her personal value in the society and, ultimately, contributes to the establishment of an individual's identity.