The Rives-Stoppa repair is a well-established procedure for ventral hernia repair, involving mesh placement in the retro-rectus plane and primary closure of the anterior rectus sheath. Developed in the 1940s by pioneers Jean Rives and René Stoppa, this technique is now considered the gold standard for non-complex ventral hernia treatment due to its low recurrence rates. This document highlights the contributions of both surgeons to the field of abdominal wall surgery, including their innovations in inguinal and incisional hernia repair. Their groundbreaking work continues to benefit surgeons and patients worldwide, shaping modern hernia repair techniques and surgical education.