Fashion Design for the Global Village: Tribal Motifs Provide Inspiration

By Karen Lawson
Fashion Design School Review Columnist

International commerce, global travel, and increasing awareness of indigenous cultures have led fashion designers to incorporate tribal motifs into their designs. Tribal-inspired symbols, textiles, and embellishments are influencing everything from apparel to accessories and jewelry.

The mainstream popularity of tattoos and television shows such as Inked and Miami Ink has contributed to this trend, as body art often features traditional tribal motifs and symbols. Popular themes include geometric designs, religious and spiritual images, and traditional motifs such as animals, flowers, and the sun.

Flower Power: Handmade Clothing Popular in the 1960’s

The nomadic “youth culture” of the late 1960’s and early 1970’s ignited interest in traditional ethnic and tribal fashion. Indian block print textiles and unusual combinations of fabrics, textures, and patterns gained popularity when they were brought home from global wanderings. Contemporary design featured the vibrant texture and hues of hand-woven and dyed textiles, as well as garments embellished with elaborate hand sewn embroidery, beads, and even tiny mirrors.

As America embraces its cultural diversity, traditional tribal and ethnic themes continue to appear in couture and ready-to-wear fashion.

Take the First Step toward Your Fashion Career

If you enjoy fashion and would like to design clothes, textiles, or accessories, fashion design school can help you acquire the skills to make your design ideas a reality. You’ll have a creative venue to explore a world of design influences such as tribal art.

Fashion design school programs offer multiple degree and certificate options. Whether or not you’ve traveled the world, you can use your creativity and global inspirations to help you create your own multicultural fashion design statement.

About the Author

Karen Lawson is a freelance writer whose interests include topics in postsecondary education and the arts. She holds BA and MA degrees in English from the University of Nevada. Reno.

Posted on May 8, 2007 at 03:08 PM