He founded his own company, MCH Diffusion in 1983. By the middle of the 1990s, Léger had softened the banded look a bit. His 1997 spring/summer line included dresses with elegant cutout midriffs and sailor suits with light organza jackets. In 1998 Los Angeles-based BCBG Max Azria purchased a controlling interest in the Hervé Léger fashion house from G.H. Mumm & Compagnie. His work was warmly embraced during the 1990s both by fashion opinion-makers and the rock stars, models, and minor royalty who are his most publicized clients. In 2001, he opened his own shop under the name Hervé L. Leroux in Paris. His summer 2001 presentation in Paris featured draped dresses, cut with tucks in the bodice, forcing the fabric to hug the neck, leaving the back strikingly bare. His concentration on the ability of clothing to create the desired flattering silhouette, through manipulation of fabrics and eye-arresting details, owes its legacy to his couture background.