Material, Pattern, and Meaning: Interpreting Wearing Practices of Mongolian Silk Garments

This study examines how traditional Mongolian silk garments are interpreted and worn through the interaction of material, pattern, and cultural meaning. Drawing on material culture perspectives, clothing is understood not as a purely functional object but as a medium through which identity, symbolism, and social relations are expressed. In the Mongolian context, silk has long been associated with ceremony, status, and auspicious meaning, closely linked with traditional patterned forms. In contemporary settings, however, the growing presence of imported materials and external design influences is reshaping how silk and traditional ornamentation are understood, raising questions about the alignment between material, pattern, and meaning. To address this, the study adopts a qualitative, interpretive approach based on semi-structured conversations with designers and cultural experts, supported by visual and tactile engagement with silk samples and patterned imagery. The findings show that silk does not directly determine wearing practice but operates through two interrelated interpretive pathways. Material qualities shape design-centered evaluation, while simultaneously activating meaning-centered interpretation linked to cultural symbolism and identity. These pathways converge in the act of wearing, where garments are selected not only for appearance but for cultural resonance.