Belt (part of ensemble)

Ontwerper: Hanae Mori (Yoshika 1926) · 1967

Waistband on a coat (a kind of trench coat) conforming to the Western fashion of the 1960s, but the pattern with the stylized chrysanthemum and tessellation and the use of textiles (gold brocade and silk) are in the Japanese style. \Hanae Mori is one of the most important Japanese fashion designers of the 20th century. She was the first Asian couturier to be admitted to the prestigious La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne (1977). Her designs can be found in many museum collections, including the Metropolitan Museum, Museum at Fashion Institute of Technology (New York), Fashion Museum Hasselt, Iwami Art Museum (Japan), Museo del Traje (Madrid). Her work has received awards such as the Neiman Marcus Award (US), Asahi Prize (Japan), Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon (Japan), Order of Culture Award (Japan) and Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur (France). Therefore this ensemble is prêt-a-porter, also because it carries a label of the big New York department store Bergdorf Goodman. It is possible that the dress was later tailored, but it is prêt-a-porter in size 12. \Hanae Mori is known for the extraordinary way she combined Japanese and western designs, techniques and materials into unique designs. Her work demonstrates a strong drive for innovation, extraordinary craftsmanship and the courage to transcend boundaries, culturally, geographically and disciplinarily. \Hanae Mori opened her first studio in 1951 in Tokyo, from where she began a successful career as a costume designer for films. She created costumes for over 500 films, her clients being the leading Japanese filmmakers of the time, such as Yasujiro Ozu, Kurosawa and Kozaburo Yoshimura. During this time as a costume designer, she developed a keen sense of color, material and the dramatic effect of clothing design. \Her interest in Western fashion was sparked by her American clientele. During a trip to Paris in 1961, Mori visited major French fashion houses such as Dior, Cardin and Givenchy. She was most impressed by Chanel, whose haute couture established a strong, independent image of women and inspired Mori to further perfect her craft. \In 1965 Mori left for the US, where she created a furore with the collection 'East meets West'. A characteristic of this collection was the fusion of Japanese motifs and silhouettes with Western cutting and sewing techniques. The collection became a huge success and formed the basis of Mori's cross-cultural approach to fashion, which not only spawned a new aesthetic but also challenged the clichéd images surrounding the Orient and Japanese women.The outfit has both a Hanae Mori label and a label from the American department store where it was sold: Bergdorff & Goodman and I.Magnin. The pieces were made for the American market. It was manufactured during the early days of Mori's international career and symbolize her pioneering position. The three recently (2015) acquired outfits express the designer's signature, traceable to the application of certain motifs, the use of colour, wearability and the high quality of material and cut.