Model and TV personality Izumi Mori appeared on Tetsuko Kuroyanagi's long-running talk show "Tetsuko's Room" (TV Asahi) on June 8th. She spoke about her memories of her grandmother, fashion designer Hanae Mori, whom she called "Mama Mori," and what she learned from her.
When I accompanied Hanae to Paris Fashion Week, she would point out even a 5mm difference in the model's fitting, saying things like, "It's a little too long," or "It's a little too short." "She's a perfectionist, and I realized for the first time how much that difference can change how it looks." When I suggested including some shorter models in the auditions to select the models, she flatly refused. "She was choosing models who fit the Mamamori standard, and she wouldn't compromise on that."
"Every Sunday, Mama Mori would cook dinner, and we would all eat together," was a tradition. "Simple meals, good meat and good vegetables, simply seasoned with salt and olive oil." The rice she always cooked had pickled plums in it. "She would cook it with pickled plums in it. It was fun to mix them in when it was finished."
I was always told things like, "Eat lots of vegetables; they'll cleanse your gut," or "You won't get clean unless you eat a lot of this," or "Eat lots of fish because it'll make you smarter," or "Are you eating your meals properly?", so I "ate heartily."
Hanae never complained or talked about her hardships. She would say, "I create beautiful things, so I don't like talking about those kinds of things." Quite some time after we got married, she told me, "Don't become too strong." I thought that women couldn't work in the entertainment industry unless they were strong, so I asked her what she meant, but she only gave me the same answer. As I got older, I began to imagine that she meant that if I became stubborn with strength, I might break down completely, so it was important to be able to adapt to changing circumstances. I think that Mama Mori is telling me, "Enjoy yourself and do your best."
