In 1914 a few weeks before the start of World War One, L. Richard and his wife Nativa founded their lingerie firm, Yva Richard, in Paris. Their custom made unique creations became increasingly daring and avant-garde, and by the late 1920s, they had highly successful international mail-order business. Richard took most of the photographs for their catalogue, and Nativa would sometimes model. One of their most iconic designs was a studded steel cone bra and chastity belt with a plumed headdress. Their success encouraged the tailor Léon Vidal, who owned a chain of erotic bookshops to open a luxurious lingerie boutique called Diana Slip.