From Coco Chanel to Lady Gaga: The fascinating history of the Little Black Dress

No, the little black dress was not invented on the sets of Breakfast at Tiffany’s for Audrey Hepburn. It is, in fact, a little older than that. Today, the LBD is one of the favourites among women, be it for a first date or a fancy cocktail party. This is credited to the famous Parisian designer Coco Chanel. Here's a look at the fascinating history of the little black dress:

A drawing of a simple black dress was published in the American Vogue magazine in 1926. It had long narrow sleeves with a string of pearls as an accessory. The dress was designed by Coco Chanel and was dubbed ‘Chanel’s Ford’. It was simple and accessible to all. Vogue said that it would soon become a sort of uniform for all women who had a taste for fine things. The dress became famous because it was released during the Great Depression when simple and affordable fashion was the way to go.

Christian Dior’s famous LBD became famous after the war. Full skirts with cinched waists were a sexier upgrade to the older little black dress and were later picked up by many Hollywood stars. The wasp waist and lavish full skirt gave a new look to LBD which was appreciated by everyone. It was viewed as a statement of hope after the war.

The famous actress was seen wearing the little black dress often. She was seen wearing an off-shoulder black dress for one of her movie promotions. Her off-shoulder dress in this photo also became one of her most iconic fashion moments.

The older generation looked for more conservative styles, whereas the younger generation wanted shorter lengths with slits and netted details. The famous look from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s is one of the most iconic 60’s LBD looks. The sheath black dress designed by Givenchy became one of Hepburn’s most iconic looks. The dresses in the 60s were shorter and more modern.

Shoulder suits and pouffe dresses became popular in the 80s. However, the ’0s marked the era of the minimalist slip dress. The era was marked with the ‘revenge dress’ that Princess Diana. It was termed 'too rebellious' by critics but transformed Diana into a fashion icon.

The same year, Elizabeth Hurley wore the safety pin Versace worn because she had been reportedly snubbed by other designers who didn't know who she was. That made Elizabeth the icon that she is.

The Little Black Dress never became old and boring. It is still worn as much as it was by our earlier role models. We find tons of different kinds of black dresses for sale now, from simple and elegant ones like the one worn by Victoria Beckham. People opted for more minimalist, bodycon dresses which were made famous by tons of Hollywood actresses.