Allegra K Bolero Shrug for Women's Sheer Mesh Tie Front Textured Crop Shrug for Evening Dresses XL Black Walmart.com 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 Little Black Dress: A Timeless Classic by Chanel Everything You Need to Know About the Little Black Dress Vogue A Coco Chanel Little Black Dress, released in 1926. Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC. Gift of Mrs. Georges Gudefin