Fashion as a tool for the reinterpretation of the past: The case of Romanian folk costume as inspiration for designers and consumers

Abstract

Abstract This article examines the ways in which fashion reinterprets the past through clothing. Descriptor of evolution, fashion has played an important role in defining attitudes and emotions throughout time. I aim to deconstruct the so-called ethnic style by analysing the Romanian traditional folk costume and its contemporary adaptations as a fashion piece, but also as a token that stimulates memories, emotions and experiences. Therefore, the deconstruction is based on the relationship between ethnic style and nostalgia, a powerful, reactive emotion that stimulates introspection and encourages creativity in new and innovative ways. The past becomes a constitutive factor for ethnic style ‐ being a source of information and inspiration.