If you don’t know who, or better still, what Hervé Léger is, you aren’t behind the trend. Since the company was acquired by Max Azaria’s BCBG Group in the 90’s, the brand has sort of… fell off. Though during its prime, Léger was a pioneer in the industry and gained immense popularity with celebrities. But Hervé Léger isn’t a person, it’s an alias.

At just 23 years old Herve Peugnet was Karl Lagerfeld’s young apprentice, where he worked at Fendi in Rome, then Chanel in Paris. After working his way up to senior assistant designer for various fashion houses, he started his own brand fisrt titled Herve Peugnet. When consulting with Lagerfeld, he suggested changing the name to Hervé Léger so Americans, the target audience, would be able to pronounce the name.

In 1990, Léger became a household name after debuting the bandage dress. Dresses literally made of medical elastic bands sewn together to create a skin tight fit, different for each wearer. He did this to mold the female form, and let women express their sexuality through their refined bodies instead of covering and overshadowing it. Essentially the female figure in the dress becomes the prime focus of the attire, allowing the dress to become slightly unnoticable.

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