Hanae Mori, Japanese designer nicknamed "Madame Butterfly" has just died

The first designer of Asian origin to enter the prestigious Parisian haute couture calendar, the Japanese designer Hanae Mori marked her era by dressing both Grace Kelly and Hillary Clinton.

His name may not be as well known today as that of fellow countryman Issey Miyake. However, Hanae Mori’s life, talents and multiple metamorphoses deserve to be known. While we have just learned of the death of this great Japanese designer, which occurred on 11 August 2022, a quick return to the work of what the industry has dubbed “Madame Butterfly”.

Who was Hanae Mori, great designer?

Hanae Mori was born on January 8, 1926 in rural areas of Japan. She first studied literature at a women’s university in Tokyo before marrying a textile executive, Ken Mori, and refocused on fashion.

At 25, Hanae Mori opens her first fashion boutique. A Japanese director sees her clothes and offers him to design costumes for her next film. This is what sets foot in her stirrups, as the designer has made clothes for hundreds of films, including those of great Japanese directors like Yasujiro Ozu and Nagisa Oshima.

The click of Hanae Mori after a stint at Chanel

In the 1960s, the rise of television overshadowed the golden age of Japanese cinema. This is what leads Hanae Mori to travel to New York and then to Paris to renew her inspirations and her know-how. In the City of Light, she tries on her clothes with Gabrielle Chanel, who recommends a bright orange dress. This outfit acts as a revealer for the Japanese stylist, as reported by AFP broadcast in particular by The world :

“The whole Japanese concept of beauty is based on concealment. Suddenly I realized that I had to change my approach and create clothes that would help women stand out “

The consecration of Parisian haute couture by Hanae Mori

In 1965 Hanae Mori presented her first collection outside Japan, in New York. She mixes Western and Eastern codes, especially traditional kimonos motifs, including cherry blossoms and butterflies. This is what earned her the nickname “Madame Butterfly”, in a nod to the Italian opera of the same name. She too will end up making costumes for a show at La Scala in Milan in 1985!

Hanae Mori then moved to Paris, where in 1977 she entered the official Parisian haute couture calendar. A great first for an Asian stylist.

In 2004, Hanae Mori held her last parade at the age of 78. In the meantime, she will have dressed international personalities, such as Grace Kelly, Hillary Clinton, and members of the Japanese imperial family. She has managed to build a fashion and perfume empire. She died on August 11 of her in her Tokyo home at the age of 96. The latest metamorphosis of this fashion butterfly.