Japanese fashion designer Hanai Mori has passed away

Hanae Mori, the Japanese fashion designer known as one of only two Japanese women to present her collections on the runways of Paris and New York and the first Asian woman to be accepted as an official haute couture design house by the Fédération François de la Couture in France, died on August 11. She was 96 years old.

Mori founded her brand in Tokyo in 1951 and built a multi-million dollar fashion business. Her work combined traditional Japanese fabrics with Western clothing in the form of massive, subtle designs, attracting a clientele ranging from ambassadors’ wives to the Japanese Empress Masako, then the Crown Princess.

Mori also designed uniforms for Japan Airlines flight attendants, Japan’s Barcelona Olympics and Japan’s Lillehammer Olympics delegation. She also had the support of Hillary Clinton, Nancy Reagan, Renata Tebaldi and others.

The butterfly became the symbol of the house and was nicknamed “Madame Butterfly” by the western media.

At its peak, the Hanae Mori brand, with its studio in Paris, developed couture; Ready to wear for women, men and children; Accessories, glasses and furniture.

She joined Global Cosmetics and Fragrances Inc. in 1996. She launched a perfume line in America.

Mori has two sons who are active in her fashion business. Her husband, Ken Morey, died in 1996. Her grandchildren Izumi Mori and Hikari Mori are fashion models.

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Earlier this month, we also lost another legendary Japanese fashion designer—Ise Miyake.