HISTORY

Hanae Mori

Hanae Mori

The Work of Hanae Mori

It has been over 70 years since Hanae Mori began her design career, as she
opened her studio in 1951. She was in charge of hundreds of film costumes
during the heyday of Japanese films from the 1950s.
After the success of her first overseas show in New York in 1965, she worked
in the U.S., followed by the opening of her own maison in Avenue Montaigne,
Paris in 1977. She has been active worldwide as the only Asian designer to be
accepted as a member of La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne.
During 27 years of presenting new haute couture creations in Paris every
season, Hanae Mori, also known as the “Ambassadress for Beauty”, was
invited to many different countries to hold her shows.

The Work of Hanae Mori

Red Butterfly Dress

“Red Butterfly Dress” by Hanae Mori Haute Couture
Photographed by Hiroshi Yoda
Collection at Iwami Art Museum in Shimane, Japan

It has been over 70 years since Hanae Mori began her design career, as she opened her studio in 1951. She was in charge of hundreds of film costumes during the heyday of Japanese films from the 1950s.
After the success of her first overseas show in New York in 1965, she worked in the U.S., followed by the opening of her own maison in Avenue Montaigne, Paris in 1977. She has been active worldwide as the only Asian designer to be accepted as a member of La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne.
During 27 years of presenting new haute couture creations in Paris every season, Hanae Mori, also known as the “Ambassadress for Beauty”, was invited to many different countries to hold her shows.
While subtly and skillfully incorporating the nuances of the times, her works, created with sophisticated designs, colors and unique materials, have been loved around the world.
The haute couture dresses that adorned women are described as “You feel decent, no matter where in the world you wear them”.
Elegance endorsed by the dignity gives confidence for the wearer.

Hanae Mori was a pioneer of working women herself, and her daytime clothing designs became popular for suits and other professional wear.
Dashing and easy to move in- the jacket, dubbed the “Women's suit jacket”, was an ally for women's work hours.
As the ways of working become more diverse and men's business attire is no longer limited to suits, women's professional styles are also changing to have more freedom.
With these in mind, what Hanae Mori consistently proposes are the outfits with “elegance” and the comfort.
“Always walk beautifully” is the message to women from Hanae Mori.

While subtly and skillfully incorporating the nuances of the times, her works,
created with sophisticated designs, colors and unique materials, have been
loved around the world.
The haute couture dresses that adorned women are described as “You feel
decent, no matter where in the world you wear them”.
Elegance endorsed by the dignity gives confidence for the wearer.
Hanae Mori was a pioneer of working women herself, and her daytime
clothing designs became popular for suits and other professional wear.
Dashing and easy to move in- the jacket, dubbed the “Women's suit jacket”
, was an ally for women's work hours.
As the ways of working become more diverse and men's business attire is no
longer limited to suits, women's professional styles are also changing to have
more freedom.
With these in mind, what Hanae Mori consistently proposes are the outfits
with “elegance” and the comfort.
“Always walk beautifully” is the message to women from Hanae Mori.

Roses

“Roses” by Hanae Mori Haute Couture
Photographed by Hiroshi Yoda

Speaking of the accessories in our daily lives, she offers a variety of fun and
useful items. Lightweight, compact folding umbrellas that are now common,
bags with lots of storage pockets, set of handkerchief and Japanese holding
fan, and so on - functional, yet stylish accessories have made people’s lives
more enjoyable and colorful ones.
The symbol of butterfly has long been flying around the world in various
forms of items, such as scarves and perfume bottles.
She has also designed uniforms for JAL flight attendants, banks and other
companies, and school uniforms for junior and senior high school students.
Successfully expressing clean image of the Japanese, she also took charge of
designing the official uniforms of the Japanese Delegation at the Summer
Olympics in Barcelona. Empress Masako's robe décolleté designed by Hanae
Mori for the marriage of then Crown Prince in 1993 is widely known, together
with the bride’s shining smile.
In addition to the daily clothing, she had also created countless costumes for
films and performances.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, she designed many film costumes.
Under the direction of great directors from the time, her job was to bring out
the charms and depict the roles of young actors such as a pair of Yujiro
Ishihara and Mie Kitahara, Mariko Okada, Sayuri Yoshinaga, Shima
Iwashita, Ruriko Asaoka, etc. It was the time when films led the trends in
town.

For the performances, the costumes she made for Japanese nationally -recognized singer, Hibari Misora's “Tokyo Dome Concert” are commonly known. She was involved in a vast variety of works such as Opera “Madame Butterfly” at La Scala, Milan, and Ballet “Cinderella" at the Paris Opera House, and in Japan, the Shiki Theatre Company’s “Rokumeikan”.
She created her own unique beauty by fusing the traditional Japanese stage costumes of Noh and Kabuki with the handiwork of haute couture and Western aesthetics.
She received numerous national and international awards for these activities. In 1996, she became the first person in the fashion industry to be awarded the Order of Culture.
She has also been awarded the Officier de la Legion d'Honneur from the French government.
Now, the times are changing dramatically.The way we live and work is being reconsidered, transcending nationality, race, age, and gender.
As the ways of our lives become further diverse, so do our outfits- we can be ourselves both in and out of work by being a little creative with how we style our outfits.
In various scenes we enjoy freely, Hanae Mori values the importance of comfort and freshness.

White Flower Dress and Big Flower Bustier Dress

“White Flower Dress and Big Flower Bustier Dress” by Hanae Mori Haute Couture
Photographed by Hiroshi Yoda

For the performances, the costumes she made for Japanese nationally -
recognized singer, Hibari Misora's “Tokyo Dome Concert” are commonly
known. She was involved in a vast variety of works such as Opera “Madame
Butterfly” at La Scala, Milan, and Ballet “Cinderella” at the Paris Opera
House, and in Japan, the Shiki Theatre Company’s “Rokumeikan”.
She created her own unique beauty by fusing the traditional Japanese stage
costumes of Noh and Kabuki with the handiwork of haute couture and
Western aesthetics. She received numerous national and international awards for these activities.
In 1996, she became the first person in the fashion industry to be awarded
the Order of Culture.
She has also been awarded the Officier de la Legion d'Honneur from the
French government.
Now, the times are changing dramatically.
The way we live and work is being reconsidered, transcending nationality,
race, age, and gender.
As the ways of our lives become further diverse, so do our outfits- we can be
ourselves both in and out of work by being a little creative with how we style
our outfits.
In various scenes we enjoy freely, Hanae Mori values the importance of
comfort and freshness.

Hanae Mori

  • 1951
    Opens first studio “Hiyoshiya” in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
  • 1954
    Opens boutique and salon “Hiyoshia” in Ginza.
    Since Nikkatsu's “Kakute Yume Ari,” designs hundreds of film
    costumes for Daiei, Toho, Toei, Shochiku, and others.
  • 1963
    Establishes “VIVID Co.”, enters the field of ready to wear business.
  • 1965
    Presents the first overseas collection in New York.
    It was highly acclaimed as “EAST MEETS WEST.”
  • 1967
    Contracts with West Point Pepperell Co., New York to design
    beddings and towels.
    Designs uniforms for Japan Air Lines flight attendants.
    (4th generation.)
  • 1969
    Signs a design contract with the Handicrafts & Handlooms Export
    Corporation of India.
    Launches “HANAE MORI Made in India” collection worldwide.
  • 1970
    Opens Hanae Mori boutique at Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York.
    Designs uniforms for Japan Air Lines flight attendants.
    (5th generation)
  • 1972
    Presents her collection in London.
  • 1973
    Opens a showroom on Seventh Avenue in New York.
  • 1975
    Holds her fashion show in Monaco at the invitation of H.S.H.
    Princess Grace.
    Holds her first show in Paris on her way home.
  • 1976
    Opens her fashion house on 79th Street in New York.
  • 1977
    Opens Haute Couture Maison on Avenue Montaigne in Paris and
    presents her first Haute Couture Collection.
    Becomes the only Asian designer to be accepted as a member of La
    Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. Since then, presents Haute Couture and prêt-à-porter collections in
    Paris, New York, and Tokyo each season. Designs uniforms for Japan Air Lines flight attendants.
    (6th generation)
  • 1978
    Opens Hanae Mori Building in Omotesando, Tokyo.
    Invited to China to lecture on design.
  • 1979
    Launches “HANAE MORI Made in China” collection in Japan and
    overseas.
  • 1985
    Opens Hanae Mori boutique in Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris.
    Designs costumes for the opera “Madame Butterfly” at La Scala in
    Milan.
  • 1986
    Designs costumes for the Paris Opera Ballet “Cinderella” directed by
    Rudolf Nureyev.
  • 1987
    Designs costumes for “Evita” presented by Shiki Theatre Company.
  • 1988
    Designs costumes for “Hibari Misora Phoenix Concert” which is
    performed at the grand opening of Tokyo Dome.
    Designs costumes for the Shiki Theatre Company’s productions of
    “The Emperor’s New Clothes”, “Ondine” and “A Dream within A
    Dream”.
  • 1989
    Holds “Hanae Mori Exhibition” in Tokyo to commemorate her 35th
    anniversary as a designer.
    Designes costumes for the Shiki Theatre Company’s production of
    “The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man”.
  • 1990
    Holds “Hanae Mori Exhibition” in Paris and Monaco.
  • 1991
    Designs costumes for “Musical RI KORAN (Li Xianglan)”
    presented by Shiki Theatre Company.
  • 1992
    Designs the official uniforms for the Japanese Delegation to the
    Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

    Moves Haute Couture Maison to Place de l’Alma, Paris.
  • 1993
    Creates Empress Masako's robe décolleté for the marriage to the
    Emperor Naruhito (the Crown Prince at that time).
  • 1994
    Designs the official uniforms for the Japanese Delegation to the
    Winter Olympics in Lillehammer.
  • 1995
    Launches Hanae Mori Fragrance from Cosmetique et Parfum
    International in France.
  • 1996
    Designs costumes for the opening opera of the Salzburg Music
    Festival, “Elektra”.
    Awarded the Order of Culture.
  • 1997
    Designs costumes for the new Noh play “Takayama Ukon”.
  • 2000
    Holds exhibition “Seeing, Wearing, Transcending-Two Centuries
    Moved by Fashion” at Art Tower Mito as a special event to
    commemorate ATM’s 10th anniversary.
  • 2002
    Awarded the “Officier de la Legion d’Honneur” from the French
    government.
    Designs costumes for “Kocho” Noh and Ballet.
  • 2003
    Designs costumes for the new Kabuki play “Hadareyuki
    Hakkotsujo”.
    Designs costumes for Masahiro Shinoda’s last film, "Spy Sorge”
  • 2006
    Holds the exhibition “HANAE MORI HAUTE COUTURE-
    The Art of Hand Craftsmanship” in Tokyo and Paris (also held in
    Shimane in 2007). Designs costumes for the Shiki Theatre Company’s “Rokumeikan”.
  • 2009
    Holds the exhibition “Made by Hand-Hanae Mori and Young
    Artists” in Mito City and Tokyo.
  • 2010
    Launches wedding dress line from CYMBELINE, France.

    Designs costumes for the opera “Arabella”at the New National Theatre.
  • 2012
    Appointed as a director of THE HAKONE OPEN-AIR MUSEUM and
    THE UTSUKUSHI-GA-HARA OPEN-AIR MUSEUM.
  • 2014
    Designs costumes for the opera “Yuzuru”.
  • 2015
    Holds the exhibition “HANAE MORI HAUTE COUTURE Hanae
    Mori - The Work and Style” at Iwami Art Museum in Shimane,
    Japan.
  • 2019
    Designs costume for the new song “Arekara” for the NHK TV
    program “Hibari Misora Revived by AI”.
  • 2020
    Holds the exhibition “Hanae Mori:Madame Butterfly, Flying to the
    World” for commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Art Tower
    Mito.
  • 2021
    Exhibits some her works for “Fashion in Japan 1945-2020”
    at Iwami Art Museum, Shimane and The National Art Center, Tokyo.

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