“I just found that out from my family recently – it’s a complete coincidence,” says Mori. She was an inspirational figure for her granddaughter and ironically one of her first boutiques also happened to be called tefutefu. The now 96-year-old had the patronage of several influential figures including Hillary Clinton, Nancy Reagan, Grace Kelly and Empress Masako. The colorful butterfly was the trademark of her grandmother Hanae Mori, Japan’s first internationally known designer. She went with tefutefu, the old way of writing “cho-cho” which means butterfly in Japanese. Having decided on the concept, Mori then had to choose a name. Sweetheart-neckline black long-sleeve midi dress, Virtus hoop earrings, medallion rings and black ankle boots all by VERSACE. That’s something I want to promote with this company.” You don’t have to love your country, but I believe it’s important to have pride in it. Recently, I’ve been reading textbooks from old shushin classes – ethics training that was part of the Japanese curriculum until the end of World War II – and I feel compared to then, the Japanese spirit has become less pronounced to the point where I think it may disappear altogether. “I think it’s similar for many young people, particularly in Japan. “I could only have very superficial chats about my culture,” recalls Mori. Experiencing different cultures, she started to think more about her own and quickly realized how little she knew about the country of her birth. After her modeling career started to take off, the youngest member of the family spent more time overseas. Unlike her four older siblings, she never lived abroad. One of the main reasons for this, according to Mori, is the fact that she didn’t broaden her horizons. Born in Tokyo to a Japanese father and an American mother, she learned a little about her US roots during summers spent in Arizona visiting her grandmother, but never really thought about what it meant to be Japanese. Getting to Know Her Rootsĭuring her teen years, Mori says she didn’t appreciate her own culture enough and as a result didn’t truly know herself. White mini dress and satin bow pumps by TOM FORD, choker necklace and rings by CHROME HEARTS. It was something I didn’t really think about before, but now I want to use my influence to spread this message.” There are so many items that are not only beautiful, but also have an amazing history and are sustainable. On top of that, we’re presenting a story so our customers can have a deeper understanding of these local crafts and traditions and why we need to protect them. “These are the kinds of artisans I’m attempting to work with. “When it comes to traditional arts, it’s not easy to find people who are prepared to think outside the box,” adds Mori. Usually the products are black or red, but we want to create something new, combining white lacquer and cloth to make sturdy art pieces using kintsugi (an ancient technique literally meaning mending with gold). He has modernized the art of traditional wajimanuri, a type of lacquerware from Wajima city in Ishikawa Prefecture. For instance, I’m doing a collaboration with Kohei Kirimoto. “To encourage that, we’re taking things people here are familiar with and adding a ‘touch of Hikari essence’ to them. “I want Japanese people to be proud of their country and culture,” says Mori. As well as supporting young artisans and emerging corporations, the idea is to develop new products that utilize local crafts. Under the slogan “Energizing Japan,” the company is aiming to spread Japanese culture around the world. The 29-year-old model was brimming with energy and enthusiasm as she spoke in detail about her new business venture tefutefu. After a long photo-shoot, I thought Hikari Mori may be tired and possibly a little apathetic for our interview.
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