Pioneering Japanese fashion designer Hanae Mori dies at 96

Tokyo: Japanese fashion designer Hanae Mori, the first Asian fashion designer to break into the exclusive world of haute couture, has passed away. She was 96. 

As per local media reports, the fashion trailblazer died on August 11.  

Mori was most famous for being the first Japanese – and Asian – designer to join the hallowed ranks of haute couture designers in 1977.

Nicknamed “Madame Butterfly” for her signature winged motifs, Mori symbolized the rise of Japan as a modern and fashionable nation. 

Her outfits, often featuring butterfly prints, were also popular among career women. Her umbrellas and scarves were a status symbol with working women.

She became a pioneer for Japanese women, one of a small number to head an international corporation in Japan’s still heavily male-dominated boadrooms.

She is survived by two sons, who have their own business, a daughter, seven grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren. 

Moreover, her grandchildren Izumi Mori and Hikari Mori are fashion models.

The 96-year-old also dressed Japanese athletes for the Barcelona Olympics in 1992. The next year, Japan's Empress -- then Crown Princess -- Masako wore a custom white gown by Mori to her wedding.

In 2002, she was awarded the Legion of Honor, France’s most prestigious decoration, in the rank of officer.