17/04/2026
# HANAE MORI: Vital Type
The National Art Center, Tokyo, is currently hosting an exhibition celebrating the centenary of Hanae Mori's birth.
Mori began her career in the 1950s, initially gaining recognition for her work as a film costume designer. As a designer, wife, and mother, she embodied a new image of femininity in post-war Japan. She later presented her work in New York and Paris, consistently showcasing the beauty and sophistication of Japanese textiles and craftsmanship, while communicating both her artistic vision and technical mastery. The exhibition retraces this extensive journey through approximately 400 works.
In the 1970s, Hanae Mori created light, refined silk gowns for the opera primadonna Renata Tebaldi. Featuring minimal ornamentation, these pieces were made extraordinary by their exquisite prints. Even today, it is impossible to look away from these garments. To wear one, even just once in a lifetime, would be pure bliss.
📸 Masaki Ogawa for the exhibition
exhibition
