Louis Hippolyte Leroy

Louis Hippolyte Leroy (1763–1829) was a French fashion merchant who founded the House of Leroy, one of the foremost fashion houses of the early 19th century First Empire Paris.

He was very successful and also provided dresses for several other royal and Princely courts in Europe during the early 19th century.

In 1804, he provided the empress with her coronation costume, which founded his career as a successful fashion trader of the Parisian high society, eventually making himself a millionaire.

During the First Empire, he was a favorite designer of gowns for Empress Joséphine and the women of the Imperial court of Napoleon I, while Madame Herbault made their hats and accessories.

[1] According to Imbert de Saint Amand, Leroy did not actually design the costumes he sold; in fact, he bought the models from designers such as Louis-Philibert Debucourt, Jean-Baptiste Isabey and Auguste Garneray, and simply sold them on to his costumers.