The Minho traditional costume as cultural heritage in fashion design

For this research we propose an analysis of traditional national costumes, in the sense of perceiving the connection with cultural value in an anthropological and historical approach. The Minho’s traditional costume emerges as a reference of the local communities, of the region, with its own identity of valorisation and conservation, of the history, experiences and memories of its people. The concept of cultural heritage is increasingly widespread in the area of fashion, in the sense that it presents itself as a singular characteristic of a textile product, between communities and nations, in a trickle-up pattern. In order to understand the different scientific approaches of the interrelationship between fashion and tradition culture we have analysed some cases of designers who recreate the costume as a characterizing and diffusing element of culture, history and identity in a new vision about fashion design. Thus, we realize that concepts such as intelligent fashion design allows us to create a cooperation between traditional and recreated products, in order to promote the bridge with the Minho costume, enhancing it.