She was nicknamed Madame Butterflyhaving always had a recognized passion for the butterfly motif, but this Thursday, August 18, we learn that Hanae Mori left us. The Japanese designer, recognized worldwide as a member of the elite of haute couture, died on August 11 at her home in Tokyo at the age of 96, announced Thursday several major Japanese media, including made echo AFP. A great Japanese lady, she was the first Asian designer to enter the seraglio of Parisian haute couture, with a style that elegantly blends East and West.
The butterfly pattern had become his trademark. Her luxurious handmade creations have been worn by Nancy Reagan, Grace Kelly and many other famous personalities, over the decades. Hanae Mori was one of the few Japanese women at the head of an international company, and thus remained a pioneer of the emancipation of women in her country. His death therefore marks the world of fashion, since it was confirmed by his office to the Kyodo press agency, while other Japanese media reported that his funeral had already been held in private family. She had started her career in Tokyo, in the post-war period by making costumes for the cinema.
A pioneer, she inspired Yohji Yamamoto, Kenzo Takada…
The other big names in Japanese fashion like Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo, Kenzo Takada (died in 2020 at age 81) or even Issey Miyake (died August 5 at age 84) followed in the footsteps of this great Japanese lady. Hanae Mori had indeed celebrated the theme of the encounter between East and West, as early as 1965, in her first collection abroad, which took place in New York. In 1977, her brand became the first house in Asia to join the ranks of the very select Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in Paris. In the early 2000s, she had encountered some financial difficulties and the closing of her Parisian workshop. Shops in his name still exist in Japan and his perfumes continue to be sold around the world, says AFP.