Development of Sweatshirt Designs Utilizing Traditional Korean Sipjangsaeng Patterns

This study aims to develop sweatshirt designs incorporating the traditional Korean Sipjangsaeng, the Ten Symbols of Longevity. The research employed both literature-based and empirical methods. The literature review examined the formative ele- ments and symbolism of Sipjangsaeng motifs identified in previous studies. In the empirical phase, 48 embroidery artifacts housed in national museums—including the National Museum of Korea, the National Folk Museum of Korea, the National Palace Museum of Korea, and the Seoul Museum of Craft Art—were cataloged, and well-preserved longevity motifs were selected and schematized. In addition, the top 100 bestselling sweatshirts on Musinsa, a major Korean fashion platform, were analyzed to identi- fy dominant design characteristics. Based on these findings, eight physical mock-ups were produced using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, and female-avatar simulations were generated using the 3D virtual-fitting program CLO 3D. The results indicate that typographic elements and character illustrations are the most frequently used decorative features in sweatshirts, with motifs con- centrated at the visually prominent center of the front bodice. Accordingly, the concepts “Cute + Friendly” and “Blokecore” were adopted as the main design directions. Animal and plant motifs—such as cranes, deer, turtles, pine trees, bamboo, and bullocho— were positioned centrally. At the same time, typography, including “Sipjangsaeng” and “Ten Symbols of Longevity,” was applied to the upper and lower sections of the garments. Unlike previous applications of Sipjangsaeng motifs, which have primarily been limited to painting, embroidery, and craft objects, this study extends their use to contemporary fashion items. In doing so, it high- lights new possibilities for modernizing and revitalizing traditional Korean patterns.