The purpose of the present study was to improve the artistic qualities in the future fashion design by investigating how the art to wear was applied to the inspiration in the modern fashion design in the late 1990s. For this purpose the present paper examined characteristics in art to wear and their impact on modern fashion design in the late 1990s. Distinguished from the traditional costume, art to wear disregarded a fixed concept on design elements such as the socio-cultural images, materials, and forms. The artists in art to wear freely expressed their "selves" and their individuality to their works in a variety of ways. In fashion design in the late 1990s the creative characteristics of art to wear were reflected in four ways: (1) eco-look, (2) humor, (3) deformation, (4) materials. The present study suggests that the creativity of the art to wear can establish the potentials and possibility in modern fashion design, and art to wear can be a crucial mediator in opening art into the real world.