Hanae Mori studied Japanese Literature at Tokyo Women’s Christian
University. After her marriage, she started studying design, and in 1951 opened her first studio in Tokyo. Soon she became involved in the growing post-war Japanese movie industry and designed costumes for more than hundred films.

In 1965 she presented her first Collection abroad in New York, which was highly acclaimed as “East meets West”. Prestigious stores such as Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and I. Magnin recognized the individuality of her designs and ordered her dresses. In 1975, she presented her Collection in Paris, where in 1977 she opened her Haute Couture Maison. She has been the only Asian designer to be admitted as a member of La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne for 27 years.

Madame Mori’s achievements include costume designs for opera “Madame Butterfly” at La Scala in Milan in 1985, for “Elektra” at 1996 Salzburg Festival, and for "Arabella" at NEW NATIONAL THEATRE TOKYO in 2010. She also designed the costumes for Paris Opera Ballet’s “Cinderella”, directed by Rudolf Nureyev in 1986.

She was named a “Officier de la Legion d’Honneur” in France in 2002, and received the “Order of Culture” in Japan in 1996.

Her published books include “Hanae Mori 1960-1989”(1989/Asahi Shimbun), “Fashion－A Butterfly That Flew Across the Border”(1993/Iwanami Shoten) ,“HANAE MORI STYLE”(2001/Kodansha International) and "Goodbye Butterfly" (2010/Bungeishunju).