In this photograph of Japanese beauty Ritsuko Kai by Bruno Benini, the model wears her own dress, a dress designed by avant garde Japanese dress designer, Hanae Mori. Although Ritsuko Kai was modelling for Holeproof and Heathermoor publicity in Melbourne at the time, this photograph was taken by the photographer for his own portfolio, not for commercial purposes.
Hanae Mori (b. Simane Prefecture, Japan 1926) studied literature at Tokyo Christian Women University prior to World War II. After the war, she returned to study, married into a wealthy textile manufacturing family, and then studied fashion design before opening a business in 1951 designing costumes for Japanese film directors such as Kurasawa, Ozu and Oshima.
It was chance encounter with Coco Chanel in 1960 during a suit fitting at Chanel's studio which inspired Mori's work in fashion. Mori went on to make her debut as a fashion designer in New york in 1965 when Neiman Marcus ipicked up her collection. In 1975 Mori moved to Paris, showed a couture collection and then opened her own Parisien fashion house in 1977. Mori became the first Asian designer to become a member of the governing body of French fashion, La Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisian.
Anne-Marie Van de Ven, Curator 2009
References:
Interview, Hazel Benini with the Curator, Anne-Marie Van de Ven, Melbourne, December 2008
http://www.infomat.com/whoswho/hanaemori.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanae_Mori
Portrait, personal, non-commercial.
Print created for 'Bruno Benini: fashion images 1956-1976' exhibition, RMIT Gallery, Melbourne, Friday 12 February - Saturday 13 March 1999. Acquired by Powerhosue Museum as part of the Bruno Benini photography archive, 2009.
The model, Ritsuko Kai, was Japan's entrant in the 1968 'Queen of the Pacific' beauty pageant.
(Ref: http://www.pageantopolis.com/international/queen_pacific.htm) She later went on to work as a model in Melbourne.
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