Hanae was the first woman of Japanese descent to have presented on the Paris and New York runways and the first Asian woman to be admitted as an official Haute Couture house to La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. Her work is exceptional. This dress is an amazing example of how she could design for a younger audience and still keep to her aesthetic. I have had a version of this dress in the shop in that past with the same sleeves and use of cotton. That one was a set that was the twin of the one exhibited in the 2015 "Kimono: A Modern History," exhibit. Mori's twist on making the traditional kimono into a more modern garment was a key component of the exhibit. This dress is the caftan version. The Met has this dated within the range of 1966-1969.

I am a huge Hanae Mori fan. She was a master at colour and print. For the pieces in this series she utilized a light weight cotton that has just a touch of transparency to it. The fabric has a slightly coated feel to it which helps to give it a little stability and hold the shape. I love how both the sleeves and the body of the dress have the same print but because the fabrics have a different opaqueness quality to them - the body of the dress is lined and the sleeves are not -  you get this wonderful contrast between the two. Each sleeve is a long loose panel of the printed cotton that is set at the top of the shoulder only and then flows down in a loop, coming back up to meet the shoulder once more. The length and width suggest the long sleeves of the kimono. The Met noted in their exhibit notes that 'they are reminiscent of the extended sleeves of the furisode, a formal kimono style worn by young, unmarried women'. The dress is cut into a wide and easy to wear caftan feeling silhouette. It falls from the shoulders at the front with a high wide cut neck. At the back it dips into a low V. The dress skims over the body and widens out gently as it nears the floor. The sleeves extend down past the knees. It is very beautiful. I love the colour mix of the bright pinks and coral with the charcoals and soft creams and the huge floral print is pure Hanae. It is a truly fabulous example of her work. It appears to have been worn very little if at all. Excellent condition

The body of the dress is fully lined in a cream silk and the sleeves are unlined. It closes at the back with a panted metal zipper. The easy cut should allow it to fit a range of sizes

Sleeves: 16" w x 39" drop
Shoulders: 15"
Bust: to 20" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: to 18.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Length: 61" from top of shoulder to hem

Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-LRG

Item# DD3806

Reference Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Kimono: A Modern History," exhibit, September 27, 2014–January 4, 2015

This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.