The International Association of Costume (IAOC) aims to foster innovative research that contributes to the progress and advancement of costume culture, technology and art. To this end, the IAOC elucidates the meanings and ideas woven by the people in each country and in each era into their costume, using materials such as historical costumes and textiles, pictures, historical documents, magazine articles and literature.
In addition, in order to develop the field of costume study by promoting exchanges among researchers and by deepening the research field, the IAOC organizes various opportunities for research presentations and research activities which include an annual conference and three workshops (e.g., research presentations, study tour, and special lectures) per year, and the International Costume Congress, international academic study tours, and academic exchange workshops held every other year.
The target field covers various genres, including aesthetics of costume, Western costume history, Japanese costume history, dyeing/weaving culture, clothing construction, dyeing/weaving techniques, the cultural history of fashion design, folk costumes in the world, folklore studies, contemporary fashion, and restoration techniques.
The official journal of the IAOC, the Journal of the International Association of Costume, is issued biannually, and all articles are published in Japanese and in English as a general rule, contributing to promoting international exchange among costume study researchers worldwide by providing the latest accomplishments through the Document Reproduction Service of the Japan Academic Association for Copyright Clearance.