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Hervé Léger by Max Azria Stays Bandaged Up

The only words you need to know in order to understand Hervé Léger by Max Azria? Bandage dress. It's the staple garment of the brand popularized by celebs like Victoria Beckham, Kate Bosworth and Keira Knightly.

At the Spring 2009 show on Sunday, Sept. 7, more than a few PYT’s sat front row wearing Hervé Léger, including Kate Mara, Joy Bryant, Lou Dollion, Maria Sharapova, Zoe Saldana, Michelle Trachtenberg, Leonor Verela, and Melissa George.

Though the BCBG Max Azria Group acquired Hervé Léger in 1998, it wasn't until 2007 that Azria fully realized the label with his own designs. Even so, Azria continues to observe the legacy of the fashion house with those sexy, curve-hugging dresses.

So there were no surprises at this season for Spring 2009; instead, Azria subtly tweaked the dresses with geometric appliqués and a jolt here and there with neon inserts against neutral color, a trend emerging this elsewhere this week in New York. Azria also created an ombre effect with bands of color on some of the dresses, and a steel foil bandage dress looked like armor for a future robot princess. Trim tailored leather jackets had their own version of ombre with the addition of "airbrush" inserts. The finale included a parade of bandage swimsuits that looked like cut-out versions of the dresses, except even more alluring.

Overall, the collection was consistent with the Hervé Léger image, but once the fad wears off for the bandage dress, it will be interesting to see where Azria takes the label.

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