Hanae Mori

Hanae Mori (森 英恵, Mori Hanae, /həˌnɑːeɪ ˈmɔːri/, born January 8, 1926) is a fashion designer in Japan. She is one of only two Japanese women to have presented her collections on the runways of Paris and New York, and the first Asian woman to be admitted as an official haute couture design house by the fédération française de la couture[2] in France. Her fashion house, opened in Japan in 1951, grew to become a $500 million international business by the 1990s.

Hanae Mori
森 英恵
Hanae Mori in 1974.
PronunciationMori Hanae
Born (1926-01-08) January 8, 1926
Muikaichi, Shimane
NationalityJapanese
Alma materTokyo Women's Christian University
OccupationFashion designer
Years active1951–2004
Known forFashion design
Spouse(s)Kenzo Mori[1]
Children2
HonoursMedal of Honor (Japan), purple ribbon (1988)

Legion of Honour (France) (1989)

Order of Culture (Japan) (1996)
Websitehttps://hanaemoriparfums.com/

Career

Mori was born in Muikaichi, Shimane.[3] After graduating from Tokyo Women's Christian University, she married and attended dress-making school.[3] She opened her first atelier, Hiyoshiya, in 1951,[4][5] and over the next several years designed costumes for hundreds of movies.[6] In 1965, she presented her first New York collection, "East Meets West." Twelve years later, she opened an haute couture showroom in Paris, leading to her appointment as a member of the Chambre syndicale de la couture parisienne.

Mori designed three consecutive uniforms for the flight attendants of Japan Air Lines (JAL). The first uniform was worn from 1967 to 1970;[7] the second, which created a sensation by featuring a miniskirt, worn from 1970 to 1977;[8] and the third worn from 1977 to 1988.[9] From 1989 to 1996, Mori employed Dominique Sirop as a designer. He became a grand couturier in 1997. In 1992, Mori designed the official uniform for the Japanese Delegation to the Barcelona Olympics and, in 1994, the official uniform for the Japanese Delegation to the Lillehammer Olympics.[10] Also in 1993, Masako, Crown Princess of Japan wore a sleeveless white gown designed by Mori for her wedding ceremony.[11] Mori had the patronage of Masako, Crown Princess of Japan, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Reagan Renata Tebaldi and Princess Grace of Monaco Grace Kelly.[12]

Amidst company financial struggles, Mori sold the ready-to-wear and licensed apparel operations in January 2002 to an investment group formed by Japanese trading company Mitsui & Co. and the Rothschild group in Britain.[13][14] Opting for fast-track corporate rehabilitation, the company then applied to the Tokyo District Court for protection from its creditors on May 30, 2002, as it had ¥10,100,000,000 (US$81,000,000) in liabilities.[15][16]

Mori announced her retirement in June 2004, stating that she would be closing her fashion house after the Haute Couture Show for Fall 2004 in Paris.[13] She held her last fashion show in July of that year.[17]

Later life

Mori has retired from the runway but still has a few boutiques in Tokyo's Harajuku neighborhood, including one in the Hotel Okura. Her fragrance division, Hanae Mori Parfums, is still active and produces a series of acclaimed fragrances including Hanae Mori Butterfly for women, HM for Men and Hanae Mori Magical Moon for women. Hanae Mori Parfums are made in France and distributed worldwide. It can be purchased throughout the United States at stores such as Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Macy's and Sephora. Hanae Mori Manuscrit is a line currently designed by Yu Amatsu.[18]

Personal life

In 1946, Mori met Ken Mori, a textile businessman who she later married.[19]:20 Ken died on October 16, 1996 of a heart attack.[19]:24[4] Mori had two sons with Ken named Akira and Kei. Both children help run Mori's business.[4]

Awards

In 1988, she received a Medals of Honor (Japan) of Purple Ribbon by the Government of Japan.[20] In 1989 Mori was awarded the French Legion of Honor by President François Mitterrand of France. In 1996 Mori was awarded the Order of Culture by the Emperor of Japan.

Style

Mori signature design inspiration is the butterfly. In addition to serving clients including Princess Grace of Monaco and Crown Princess Masako of Japan, for whom Mori made a wedding gown, Mori has made costumes for operas including "Madame Butterfly" and "Elektra," ballets including "Cinderella" and musicals such as the Japanese production of "Evita." She has created designs for shoes, stockings, gloves, ties, belts, handbags, umbrellas, sunglasses, aprons, carpets, and lacquerware. She also has a range of fragrances, including Hanae Mori and Hanae Mori Butterfly. Her published books include Hanae Mori 1960-1989 and Fashion – A Butterfly That Flew Across the Border.

References
  1. "Who Says Butterflies Are Free? on a Hanae Mori Gown, They Cost $700 and Up". PEOPLE.com. 20 December 1976. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  2. "Hanae Mori Haute Couture: Hanae Mori — The Work and Style". The Japan Times. 18 April 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2015.
  3. "Hanae Mori". Tokyo Fashion Week. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
  4. "Ken Mori, Chief of Hanae Mori, Dead at 84". WWD. 1996-10-22. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  5. Miyachi, Izumi (2015-01-14). "From miniskirt to mass consumption". The Nation. Retrieved 2020-07-18.
  6. William D. Hoover (18 March 2011). Historical Dictionary of Postwar Japan. Scarecrow Press. pp. 189–190. ISBN 978-0-8108-5460-4.
  7. "History of JAL Uniforms - Fourth Generation Uniform (1967-1970)". Japan Airlines. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  8. "History of JAL Uniforms - Fifth Generation Uniform (1970-1977)". Japan Airlines. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  9. "History of JAL Uniforms - Sixth Generation Uniform (1977-1988)". Japan Airlines. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  10. Federau, Cherie (31 March 2016). "Designer Spotlight: Hanae Mori". Shrimpton Couture. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  11. Sanz, Cynthia (21 June 1993). "The Princess Bride". People. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  12. "Hanae Mori – Vintage Couture". www.vintagecouture.com. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  13. "Hanae Mori". FMD. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  14. "Hanae Mori to sell part of operations". The Japan Times Online. 29 December 2001. ISSN 0447-5763. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  15. "Hanae Mori holds 1st fashion show since bankruptcy". www.thefreelibrary.com. Kyodo News International. Retrieved 2019-07-04.
  16. "JAPAN: Fashion House Hanae Mori Goes Bust". www.just-style.com. 31 May 2002. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  17. "Hanae Mori shows her final collection in Paris". The Japan Times Online. 9 July 2004. ISSN 0447-5763. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  18. "Hanae Mori manuscrit". Hanae Mori manuscrit. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
  19. Evans, David (2002). Women in Business. England: Pearson Education. ISBN 9780582453272.
  20. 10 November 2015. "デザイナー森英恵さんのファッションと文化" [Designer Hanae Mori's fashion and culture]. Middle Edge（ミドルエッジ） (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-07-04.
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