When you’re looking for a cute yet sexy dress to wear on date night – you look towards a bandage dress, and it winks back at you. From the hugging fit to the overall comfort, you can’t go wrong with a bandage dress.
But, how did this dress come into being, and what goes into its making? These are the things that we’ll be exploring below:
What is a Bandage Dress?
Firstly, what is it? This form-fitting dress is made from a combination of three materials – spandex, nylon, and rayon. The weave layers create the ‘bandage’ look – hence the name. These thick and stretchy dresses give your body some shape while fitting like a glove.
History
The history behind the bandage dress is poetically interwoven with female evolution.
These types of form-fitted dresses were first introduced in the mid-80s. The “King of Cling” fashion designer Azzedine Alaia released the first form-fitted dresses in his collection.
Designer Herve Leger first introduced the bandage dress itself in the 90s.
Petticoats and other hefty undergarments traditionally worn by women were thrown out of style when silhouette styles that highlighted women’s curves began to gain popularity on the runways during the 70s, after their initial introduction in the 60s.
This new type of dress didn’t only accentuate the female figure, but it also seemed more practical and comfortable. The fashion industry was booming and the release of the “Cling Collection” was a massive success and a fan favorite for many.
Herve Leger
Fashion designer Hervé Peugnet founded the brand known as Herve Leger in the mid-80s. This was the brand that made the bandage dress available in the mainstream market.
Herve Leger is now owned by BCBG Max Azria, who continues to sell bandage dresses under the Herve Leger name – keeping it alive as the pioneer of this staple dress.
The interesting history behind the founder of this brand, Hervé Peugnet, is that he worked for and with the King of Cling – Azzedine Alaia himself.
The Making of the Bandage Dress
While undergoing the manufacturing process, this dress can vary in both size and production. 500 to 40k bandage dresses can be produced in just one month.
Knitting the dress using looms and sewing the dress together are the two main processes that this dress undergoes.
The knitted material also gets washed and dried – possibly for shrinkage purposes, and then the fabric is cut into pattern-based sizes. Then, the dresses are checked for loose threads or other imperfections.
As the material is specific to dress designs, you cannot just purchase some standard bandage dress material. These dresses are made in single batches, the colors and material compositions are knitted just for that particular batch!
This type of dress has now won the hearts of many women, with at least that one favorite bandage dress occupying most closets today. This dress proves to be a confidence boost and manages to steal the show every time someone adorns one.