Analytical Research on Sign and Symbol of Two Avant-Garde Women Designers’ Works

Abstract

We live in a visually intensive society. Visual symbols are one of the most important keys to communication in the design field. Usually, the symbolic meaning of artwork is closely related to its historical background, culture, socio-political environment and economic constructions. This study aimed to investigate two women designers in the Avant-Garde era, which applied cultural hybridity to their art works and managed to stand out in their field, which was dominated by male designers. We will take Clarice Cliff and Sonia Delaunay as the core cases to analyze and collaborate. As we know, these two women designers are two important fashion designers that represent different styles in design history. Their works glorify symbol in the rhythmic relations of its simultaneous contrasts. In addition, both of their styles were influenced by the merge of divergent cultures. Thus, the primary design of this study focuses on hybridity in symbol and sign. We tend to understand how cultural elements have inspired these two designers’ fashion works in visual communication. The reason why we take these two women designers as the main analytic subjects is because of their uniqueness, which represents one interpretation of the awareness of Avant-Garde production. By using Bricolage and Phenomenography as the main methodologies, and the use of Third Space Identity and Hybridity as our research theories, through an analysis of papers and cases, we hope to explore the symbolism and meaning represented by these two designers from design and culture perspectives.