Memory, Identity, and Cross-Cultural Translation: A Study of Hussein Chalayan’s Fashion Translation Strategies

Abstract

This article analyzes a series of works by the contemporary avant-garde experimental designer Hussein Chalayan, interpreting his core concept of viewing clothing as a medium that carries cultural memory and the transformation of identity. This concept is further elaborated across three dimensions: the symbolism of materials, the narrativity of structure, and the performativity of the body. Through this framework, the study reveals Chalayan’s design approaches to materials, structure, and the body in contemporary practice, and explores their implications for designers working within the context of globalization and geopolitics.