Hanae Mori
Japanese designer has died
Hanae Mori often used butterflies in her designs.
© imago images/Kyodo News
Hanae Mori has died at the age of 96. The Japanese designer became known as “Madame Butterfly”.
Hanae Mori passed away on August 11 at her home in Tokyo, aged 96. This is reported by the Kyodo news agency, among others. The cause of death is the Japanese designer’s “old age”. Mori has been dubbed “Madame Butterfly” for her butterfly designs.
In the circle of haute couture designers
After her studies she opened her first fashion shop in Tokyo in 1951 and worked as a costume designer for various films. In 1965 she exhibited her fashion for the first time in New York and designed under the motto “East Meets West” (in German: “The East meets the West”). Among other things, she transformed traditional Japanese kimonos into dresses and used butterflies and other Japanese motifs.
In 1977 Mori was accepted into the select circle of the “Society for Haute-Couture” in Paris. She also designed airline costumes and outfitted the Japanese team at the Barcelona Olympics. In 1993 she received another special honor, she was allowed to design the wedding dress of the Japanese Empress Masako (58). In 2004 Mori exhibited in Paris for the last time.