Her office announced on Thursday that the designer Hanae Mori had passed away. She was noted for her delicate characteristic butterfly designs, several film costumes, and the wedding gown she designed for Japan’s emperor. She lived to be 96.
Mori represented the development of Japan into a contemporary and stylish country as well as the advancement of the working woman in Japan. According to the Hanae Mori Office, she passed away on August 11 in the comfort of her home in Tokyo, a few days after acquiring a low-grade fever. A medical professional had gone to her house to do an examination, but they were unable to determine the reason why she had passed away.
When Empress Masako wed Emperor Naruhito, who was then the crown prince, in 1993, she wore a wedding gown designed by Hanae Mori that included rose-petal motifs all over the dress. Mori was responsible for the design of the costumes used by the flight attendants of Japan Airlines, the bank clerks, the high school students, and the Japanese national team in the Olympics in Barcelona. The outfits were not flashy like her creations for the runway; rather, they were elegant and professional, which was fitting for the duties that they played.
Mori’s goal was to instil a sense of self-assurance and dignity in individuals who wore her creations by promoting the philosophy that “You feel nice.
She was a pioneer of a group of Japanese designers that became recognised internationally and founded her studio in 1951. Her designs are known all over the world. Her first exhibition in New York in 1965 was hailed as a “East meets West” event by the press.
In 1977, she launched her eponymous fashion house in Paris and went on to establish a global empire that included fragrances, handbags, and publishing in addition to the fashion industry.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Mori designed costumes for hundreds of Japanese films, dressing star actresses like Mie Kitahara, Sayuri Yoshinaga, and Shima Iwashita in some of the most renowned cinematic pieces that were produced during that era. Mori is known for incorporating traditional Japanese elements, such as the kimono, into his designs.
Those who are interested in fashion are also familiar with the lavish outfits that she fashioned for the singer Hibari Misora. She also designed for the opera and the Noh theatre, one of her opera designs being “Madame Butterfly” which was performed in Milan in 1985. She was presented with the Legion of Honor medal by the French government in the year 2002.
According to the office of Hanae Mori, she is survived by two sons who each own their own company, a daughter, seven grandkids, and numerous great-grandchildren. Her spouse Ken Mori died in 1996. Her grandkids Izumi Mori and Hikari Mori are fashion models. A funeral ceremony was performed privately for immediate family members. There is a possibility that a public memorial ceremony may be conducted, although the specifics have not been determined.