The "Hanae Mori: Vital Type - 100th Anniversary of Birth" exhibition, currently being held at the National Art Center, Tokyo, is overwhelming in its sheer volume of approximately 400 works, while simultaneously surprising with the novelty of its perspective.
Hanae Mori is a leading Japanese fashion designer and the first Asian to become a full member of Paris Haute Couture. Her reputation is undeniable, but this exhibition goes beyond that. The exhibition is structured with her work as a designer as the vertical axis and her struggles and efforts to nurture Japanese fashion culture as the horizontal axis. It is an exhibition where you can look at clothes, but it is closer to an exhibition that examines the entirety of a person's life's work, which even involved her family.
The exhibition title, "Vital Type," refers to a portrait I wrote about in the January 1961 issue of the magazine "Soen."
Movie costumes, setbacks, and a trip to New York
After getting married, she studied fashion at a dressmaking academy and started her career as a designer while raising children. The fact that Shinjuku was a movie theater district became a turning point, and from around 1954, she began designing costumes for Nikkatsu films one after another. The red floral aloha shirt from the film "Crazed Fruit" is evidence of that era, where the image of "beautiful clothes" was conveyed throughout Japan through the massive medium of the screen.
Mori started a clothing store in Shinjuku and then began working in the film industry. He designed costumes for numerous masterpieces, including "Crazed Fruit" and "Thank You for Tonight, Night Fog." The poncho on the right was used in the TBS drama "Elegy" (1966).
Promotional materials from American department stores and Shiseido's US advertisements; the dress in the center is from around 1967-69.
In 1961, feeling overwhelmed by the difficulty of balancing work and raising children, Mori seriously considered quitting her job as a designer. What pushed her to do so was a single comment from the editor-in-chief of Soen magazine: "Before you quit, go see Paris." This became the catalyst for her to set her sights on the world. What she later witnessed in New York—the lack of understanding of Japan and the low regard for Japanese craftsmanship—was a source of frustration that became the driving force behind Mori's success on the world stage.
That very year, Mori wrote the term "Vital Type" in the January issue of Soen magazine. It describes a cheerful, hardworking woman who has her own career. The reason why this term, which was both an appeal to others and a vow to herself, was chosen as the title of this exhibition becomes clear when you see the exhibition.
HANAE MORI, whose career has taken off in America.
When Mori made her debut at the 1965 New York Collection, she brought with her kimono obi fabrics, Japanese silk, and deep indigo hues. She put Japanese craftsmanship to the test on the Western stage. It wasn't just an export of exoticism, but an export of Japanese aesthetics.
When discussing Hanae Mori's signature floral patterns, butterflies, and striking pink and purple color schemes, it's essential to mention Tadao Matsui, a textile designer who created many of the floral prints of that era. His work is featured in a dedicated section of the exhibition alongside her textiles.
The evening ensemble on the right, from 1974, was specially loaned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art for this occasion. It was custom-made by Mary Griggs Burke, a major collector of Japanese art, using Ito Jakuchu's "White Plum Blossoms Under the Moonlight," which is in her collection, as a motif, and was worn at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1975.
After her success in New York, Hanae Mori sought to break free from her previous image and challenged herself in Parisian haute couture. While meeting the stringent requirements of the association, she continued to showcase Japanese beauty and craftsmanship.
Hanae Mori is perhaps best known for her work designing the cabin attendant uniforms for Japan Airlines. She designed them from the fourth-generation uniform in 1967 until around 2000.
Chapter 3 traces the achievements in disseminating fashion culture.
Chapter 3, focusing on media and space creation from the perspective of "the activities of the entire Hanae Mori Group," directly addresses aspects that have rarely been covered in past Hanae Mori exhibitions. It traces the lineage of "Hanae Mori Fashion Communication," which was launched in 1966 as an information magazine for stores, eventually becoming the independent "Fashion Communication" and growing into one of Japan's leading fashion magazines. It also describes how "STUDIO VOICE," which her eldest son, Akira Mori, helped to launch, came to possess such a strong cultural presence that it published the Japanese edition of Andy Warhol's "Interview" magazine. Furthermore, it details his involvement in the founding of "WWD JAPAN" magazine. And in 1978, the "Hanae Mori Building" in Omotesando, designed by Kenzo Tange, was completed. "The Space," located on the upper floors of the building, became a venue open not only to the company's own shows but also to presentations and exhibitions of other brands, providing a foundational support for Tokyo's culture.
Beyond simply creating clothes, Hanae Mori nurtured media outlets where fashion was discussed and personally created spaces where creators could gather. She was not only a brilliant designer but also a pioneer in Japanese fashion culture. This perspective is presented in earnest for the first time in this exhibition.
The Hanae Mori Building in Omotesando served as a venue not only for the brand's own shows but also for presentations and exhibitions by other brands, supporting Tokyo's fashion culture.
The magazine "Ryuko Tsushin," which originated with "Hanae Mori's Fashion Communication," as well as "STUDIO VOICE" and "WWD JAPAN," are all publications that have had a significant influence on Japanese fashion culture. These publications have all been produced by Hanae Mori or her family/group companies. It would be fair to say that she is a designer who has cultivated Japanese fashion culture.
And then into the world of haute couture.
Mori, who became the first Asian to join the Haute Couture Federation in 1977, continued to present two collections a year for 27 years until 2004. The fact that she consistently met stringent requirements, such as creating more than 75 looks and employing local staff, is truly astonishing when expressed in numbers. Monochromatic, serene dresses, intricate bead embroidery work. A mature aesthetic, different from the vibrancy of Chapter 2, resides here, and the weight of 27 years of bringing Japanese craftsmanship to the highest level of Parisian fashion is evident in every aspect of the work.
The epilogue features a 50-minute interview with filmmaker Nobuhiro Shimura. The testimonies of her granddaughters Izumi Mori and Hikari Mori, her son, and colleagues such as Kazuko Koike, piece together to reveal the true character of Hanae Mori. Looking at the circle of friends introduced in Chapter 5—Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, Tadanori Yokoo, Keita Asari, Ikko Narahara, Ikko Tanaka, and Shinobu Sato—it becomes clear that Hanae Mori's circle was not merely a network within the fashion world, but constituted the very culture of the era.
What is conveyed throughout the exhibition is that Hanae Mori was a person who consistently demonstrated "how to live" not through her clothes, but through her actions. Vital Type—the words she left behind in 1961—remain as relevant even 65 years later.
Floral patterns, butterflies, and striking pink and purple color combinations were characteristic of Hanae Mori's fashion during this period. However, around this time, Hanae Mori began to want to break away from this image and take on new challenges.
Hanae Mori collaborated with a diverse range of creators, including Tadanori Yokoo, Ikko Tanaka, and Ikko Narahara, and also had connections with various talents, including film actors and Tetsuko Kuroyanagi.
The image shows a view of the exhibition "Hanae Mori Vital Type: 100th Anniversary of Birth," at the National Art Center, Tokyo, 2026.
Photos &Text by Nobuyuki Hayashi
◆100th Anniversary of Birth Hanae Mori Vital Type
Date: April 15, 2026 (Wednesday) – July 6, 2026 (Monday)
Venue: The National Art Center, Tokyo Special Exhibition Room 1E
7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Opening hours: 10:00-18:00
Open until 20:00 PM every Friday and Saturday.
*Admission until 30 minutes before closing
Closed: Every Tuesday
*However, the museum will be open on May 5th (Tuesday, a public holiday).
Organizers: The National Art Center, Tokyo; TV Asahi; Tokyo Shimbun
Profile
Nobuyuki Hayashi
Began writing for domestic and international media as a tech journalist in 1990. Covered the latest trends and conducted interviews with influential figures who played key roles in shaping the IT industry. In the 2000s, came to believe that technology alone cannot enrich people's lives and shifted focus to promoting the importance of good design through design-related reporting and activities such as serving as a juror. Around 2005, foresaw the transformative impact AI would have on the world and expanded into exploring contemporary art and education that question the essence of human existence, as well as delving into Japan’s regional and traditional culture. Currently, with the belief that Japan’s traditional philosophies hold invaluable inspiration for the future of society, is dedicated to sharing these values with the world. Additionally, serves as an advisor or external board member for several companies and holds the title of Visiting Honorary Professor at Kanazawa College of Art. Fondly known as "Nobi."
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