Passed away at the age of 96. In memoriam, Hanae Mori, “Group photo with new generation of high school girls.”

A world-renowned fashion designer has passed away.

Hanae Mori, a recipient of the Order of Cultural Merit, passed away on August 11 at the age of 96 due to old age. HANAE The “MORI” brand is widely known overseas and has many followers around the world. Models Izumi Mori and Hoshi Mori are her grandchildren. The funeral service has already been held with next of kin.

Ms. Mori was born in January 1926 in Kanzoku County (now Yoshika Town), Shimane Prefecture. After graduating from Tokyo Women’s University, she married Ken Mori, a former army major whom she met at a factory where she was mobilized for work. While working for Ken’s family textile company, she learned Western-style dressmaking and opened a dressmaking store in Tokyo in 1951.

The key to becoming a world-class fashion designer was a trip to New York in 1961. Clothes made in Japan were called “one dollar blouses,” a symbol of cheapness, and there was a lot of prejudice against the poor Japanese. Mr. Mori decided to “improve the image of Japan.” In 1965, he participated in the “New York Collections” for the first time. Her dresses with butterfly motifs were well received, and Ms. Mori was called ‘Madame Butterfly,’ and she became the center of attention.

Masako’s formal wear

Later, Mr. Mori established himself as a top fashion designer, working on concert costumes for singer Hibari Misora, uniforms for the Japanese team at the Barcelona Olympics (1992), and formal wear for then Crown Princess Masako.

Mr. Mori has designed not only celebrity fashions. In July 1988, FRIDAY photographed the presentation of high school girls’ school uniforms for the new era.

It is a project called ‘Hanae Mori School Genne. Until then, the majority of high school girls’ uniforms were sailor uniforms. Ms. Mori introduced blazers, bow ties, and other designs that were innovative for the time (first photo). Ms. Mori’s motifs were highly praised by the girls,” said an education official.

He became a visiting professor at the local Shimane International Junior College. He also served as director of the Sculpture Forest Museum and the Utsukushi-ga-hara Open-Air Museum, where he worked to promote “beauty.

The news of the passing of this great fashion designer who established an era has brought mourning from all over the world.