François Lesage was a French embroidery designer and director of the embroidery atelier of Maison Lesage, Paris. Lesage had the nickname 'Mr Buttons'. He was born in Chaville, France, on 31 March 1929, the son of Albert Lesage and Marie-Louise Favot (a model working for the famous fashion designer, Madeleine Vionnet). He inherited the Maison Lesage from his father in 1949.