Although we associate the name Yva Richard as one person, this was, in fact, a firm. The name is derived from the husband wife team, L. Richard and his wife, Nativa (NatYVA) or YVA RICHARD. The couple operated a successful business from the period of 1913-1939, using different photographers and artists to represent the models, selling prints and primarily marketing erotic lingerie for a mail distribution catalog of fetish lingerie.

The couple took great pains in displaying a level of respectability with their brochures, listing the names and occupations of the models. They employed only the most qualified of photographers including the Biedier, and Ostra Studios.

By 1930, the brochure sales outweighed the lingerie sales, prompting the Richards to publish books of fetish photography. The couple also opened a store specializing in perfumes, postcards, and 3-D stereoscopic prints.

As the bondage market became "the vogue", Yva Richard's publicity featured fetishistic accessories and s/m accouterments, including leather corsets, kid gloves, handcuffs, dog collars with leashes, and bondage gear using his wife, Nativa as the model. Images of Nativa often appear under the names Helios and Miss Milado.

With the onset of World War II and the competition from Editions Publishing Company, the company was crippled, going out of business in 1939.