Little Black Dress exhibit at the RJD The First Little Black Dress LITTLE BLACK DRESS Didier Ludot First Edition; First Printing The little black dress (LBD) was popularizedand effectively invented as a modern fashion stapleby French designer Coco Chanel in 1926. At a time when black was largely associated with mourning, Chanel introduced The Evolution of the Little Black Dress Little Black Dress Through History The little black dress, the cornerstone of fashion. , , The little black dress, also referred to as the LBD, was introduced to the fashion world by Coco Chanel in 1926. The elegant, yet minimalistic