Heritage
A house, in its own words
Hanae Mori began her career in 1951 when she opened a modest studio in Tokyo, quickly gaining commissions for film costumes and high‑society clients. In 1965 she presented her first ready‑to‑wear collection in New York under the name Miyabiyaka, marking the first time a Japanese designer showed on the American runway. The success of that show encouraged her to expand into perfume, a move that aligned with the 1970s trend of fashion houses launching scent lines. In 1977 Mori opened a boutique on avenue Montaigne in Paris, the first Japanese couture house to secure a permanent presence on that historic street. The brand’s inaugural fragrance, Butterfly, arrived in 1996 and was praised for its gourmand character, a style that was still emerging in the market. The following years saw a steady stream of releases: the N series (N01 in 2010, N04 and N03 in 2011, N07 in 2012, N08 in 2013) explored modern interpretations of the house’s signature elegance, while HiM (2012) and Hanae by Hanae Mori (2014) reinforced the link between scent and the designer’s personal aesthetic. In 2016 the house celebrated the 20th anniversary of Butterfly with a new Eau de Parfum version and introduced Purple Butterfly, a limited edition that highlighted a deeper, ambery palette. Throughout its history the brand has maintained a dual focus on fashion and fragrance, allowing each discipline to inform the other and creating a cohesive narrative that spans more than six decades. The creative vision of Hanae Mori rests on a dialogue between Japanese refinement and Western dynamism. Interviews with the house’s creative directors describe a commitment to "delicate balance" – a principle that guides scent composition as much as garment construction. The brand values meticulous craftsmanship, sourcing ingredients that convey both tradition and modernity. For example, the use of Japanese cherry blossom extracts alongside French vanilla beans reflects a desire to bridge cultural palettes. The house also emphasizes storytelling; each fragrance is positioned as a chapter in a larger narrative that includes the butterfly motif, which symbolizes transformation and elegance. Sustainability is addressed through selective sourcing, with the perfumers favoring suppliers that practice responsible farming, especially for natural absolutes such as jasmine and sandalwood. This approach aligns with a broader industry shift toward transparency and ethical ingredient procurement.