The story of Hanae Mori
Hanae Mori was born in 1926 in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. She opened a studio in Tokyo in 1951 and first dressed Japanese film productions. The butterfly soon became her signature, embroidered or printed across her dresses. She showed in New York in the 1960s before moving to Paris. In 1977 she joined the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, a first for an Asian designer. Perfume came later. Hanae Mori, which everyone calls Butterfly, launched in 1995 in a bottle decorated with a butterfly. HM for men followed in 1997. She retired from haute couture in 2004 and died in Tokyo in 2022, aged 96. Her fragrances are still sold.
An olfactory signature
Butterfly was a gourmand ahead of its time. It blends red berries, a hint of almond and a woody vanilla base. The sugar is there, but a powdery texture keeps it more refined than recent gourmands. HM takes a different path. It is a fresh woody oriental for men, more restrained and fine for the office. What links them is a softness that never turns aggressive. They are far from the showy couture scents of the nineties.
Which Hanae Mori perfume to choose?
Hanae Mori, also listed in our selection as Butterfly, is best in autumn and winter. It suits people who like sweet scents but cannot stand synthetic candy. Two sprays are enough and it clings well to clothes. HM works for men who want a quiet everyday woody scent. If you like Butterfly, smell it next to Mugler Angel. They share the gourmand family, but Angel is far more patchouli-heavy and loud. Butterfly stays softer and is easier on colleagues.