The Dalí Universe exclusively owns this stunning Hanae Mori designer dress that was created by the Japanese stylist in the 1990s.
Hanae Mori, now a nonagenarian, was born in 1926 in Japan. The only Japanese woman to have presented fashion collections in Paris and New York; Mori opened her first fashion house in 1951. She designed dresses for movie stars, the crew of Japanese Airlines; the ballet Madame Butterfly at Milan’s’ La Scala in 1985, she also designed costumes for an opera directed by Lorin Maazell. She produced many fragrances and accessories. Mori’s design inspiration is the butterfly, and many of her dresses feature the image
Her designs bridge the gap between western and oriental culture. Touches like characters used in patterns or Mao collars on jackets, are typical of her style. Cherry blossoms and butterfly motifs are Mori’s signature designs, Mori has created many hundreds of costumes for Japanese opera’s, films and ballets. This gown forms part of the Dalí Universe collection which now comprises 31 dresses
A delicate sense of feminine beauty, stemming from her Japanese heritage is evident in the evening gown, the kimono like sleeves are purely elegant and graceful.
From the mid-1960, Mori expanded her activity in the USA, she skillfully used traditional Japanese motifs in her western style clothing, she was highly successful and became a household name in the US. Her final couture collection was created in 2004 after which the Mori’ fashion house label went through restructuring and the haute courtier division was sold. Many of the dresses featured in the Dalí Universe collection belong to designers who reached the height of fame during the 20th century.