One of the leading Japanese fashion designers of the last century, Hanae Mori gained a deserved reputation for producing some of the most innovative designs in fashion, and being able to seamlessly combine an eastern sensibility and the influences of her home country with the kind of elegance and daring élan that is demanded in the modern and fast changing fashion world.

Hanae Mori’s journey to the top of the fashion world was a curious one. Unlike many designers who serve a long apprenticeship at the side of a leading designer, and come straight from school into the industry, Hanae Mori came to high fashion relatively late on, at the age of 34.

Hanae Mori had been a traditional costume designer for many years, concentrating on producing outfits that were central to Japanese culture. These clothes were theatrical rather than wearable, and featured designs that drew heavily from a range of inspirations including Geisha and Kabuki culture. At the age of 34, Mori met the legendary Coco Chanel at a dress fitting in New York, and became inspired by the work of the designer. On her return to Japan, Mori gave up her costume work, and moved instead into fashion, using her long experience of Japanese culture, and a natural understanding for the human form to create classic outfits that were flattering and extremely elegant, as well as appearing exotic and daring.

It only took 5 years from Hanae Mori’s decision to enter the world of Haute Couture for her first collections to attract the attention of Niemann Marcus and other major retailers. She moved to Paris in order to be at the heart of the French Fashion industry, and her reputation quickly grew and she became one of the leading exponents of the industry during the 1970s and 80s thanks to her use of imaginative techniques at all levels of design, and her use of traditional Japanese silks in modern European clothes.

Hanae Mori herself retired from fashion in 2004, after a forty year career as a leading designer, although her legacy of using different cultures to inspire the latest fashion is a lasting one that has opened up the world of fashion to a range of new opportunities.

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