Hanae Mori, one of Japan's leading global fashion designers known for her butterfly designs, passed away due to old age on the 11th of this month.

She was 96 years old.

Born in Shimane Prefecture in 1926, Mr. Mori took his first step as a designer by establishing a studio in Shinjuku in 1951.



He has worked on many costumes for Japanese movies, and his first collection, which he presented in New York in 1965, was praised as "East Meets West" and gained international fame.



After that, he became the first Japanese to become a member of the Haute Couture Association, a high-end custom-made clothes association in Paris.



He also designed the stage costumes for the opera at La Scala in Milan and the ballet at the Paris Opera.



In addition to introducing works that incorporate Japanese colors and traditional motifs overseas, Ms. Mori is known for her butterfly designs, which have had a major impact on the fashion of young Japanese women.



In 1986, she became the first female member of the Keizai Doyukai, and she became a hot topic as a symbol of women's social advancement.



She also designed the official uniforms for the Japanese team at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.



Ms. Mori retired from the front line after the 2004 Paris Collection, and since then she has been focusing on training young designers.



According to her associates, Mori passed away on the 11th of this month due to old age.



She was 96 years old.