Hervé Léger released the first bandage dress in 1989 and it took the fashion world by storm. Using elastane and other fabrics associated with foundation garments, he molded his dress to the body, pioneering body conscious clothing. A decade later, BCBG Maz Azria and Seagrams acquired Hervé Léger, the first time in history that a French couturier was bought by an American designer. Léger lost control of the company and his name and the line was shut down. It was relaunched in 2007 as Hervé Léger by Max Azria and all designs were by Azria, though their clear aesthetic source is the historical Hervé Léger designs. While totally legal, it always strikes me as wrong that he lost the right to his own name. However, he didn’t give up and is now designing under the name Hervé L. Leroux.
Of course, there are more designers doing bandage dress designs today. After all, these are dresses that push in what you want in and push up what you want up. Giz Seom of Gizza has just released a fabulous bandage dress that exemplifies the body-con facility of the traditional bandage dress. It makes fabulous party and club wear, full of sex appeal, with a modern edge and a comfortable ease that makes it great for long, active nights of dancing.
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