Jean Patou

Jean PatouJean Patou

By: Jennifer McDonough

Jean PatouJean Patou• Jean Patou was born in

Normandy, France, in 1887.

• Patou's father was a leather maker and his uncle owned a fur business which Patou joined in 1907.

• In 1912 Patou opened Maison Parry, a small dressmaking salon in Paris.

• Patou’s career was interrupted by World War I where he served as Captain of Zouaves.


• In 1919, he reopened his salon, this time under his own name.

• His collections were immediately successful.

• He showed bell-skirted, high-waisted shepherdess-style dresses, many of which were embroidered in the Russian style.

• His finest achievements were in the field of sports wear.

Jean PatouJean Patou• Patou recognized the need

for clothes for the sports participant, the spectator, and for those wishing to appear athletic

• Patou's vision of the ultimate sportswear collection was realized when he opened Le Coin des Sports, a boutique in Paris that catered to all sorts of sportswear, including accessories, scarves, lingerie, jewelry, hats, etc.

• He was also famous for his bathing suits. He developed a fabric for swimwear that resists shrinkage.


• On a visit to the USA in 1925, he was impressed by the long legged American girls.

• He auditioned 500 girls and chose 6 to accompany him back to Paris as mannequins.

• The American silhouette became a point of emulation for French women and therefore helped boost Patou's sales.

Jean PatouJean Patou• Patou’s clothes were made

to be beautiful yet comfortable, functional and simple, with accents limited to seam linings and embroideries, as exemplified by his creation of the cardigan.

• By interpreting the surrounding art movements and cultural ideas into his designs, Patou created such classics as "cubist" sweaters, which were featured prominently in his business.


• By adding coordinating skirts, scarves, hats, and other accessories, he increased his overall sales.

• In the 1920s, he invented designer ties made from women's dress and the famous cubist sweaters.

Jean PatouJean Patou• Other Patou innovations

include inventing the first designer label, with his pockets outlined with a "J" and "P," and the custom of designers previewing their collections before the press.

• He was able to produce exclusive colors through a special dyeing method so as to eliminate competitor replicas.

• He also had fabrics produced especially for him.

Jean PatouJean Patou• Patou is given credit for

being the first in 1929 to return the waistline to its normal position and to lengthen skirts, which he dropped dramatically to the ankle.

• Patou revolutionized the knitting industry with machine production, which meant greater productivity and greater profits.


• He introduced daily staff meetings, a profit-sharing plan for executives, and a bonus system for mannequins.

• He instituted gala champagne evening openings, had a cocktail bar in his shop, and chose exquisite bottles for his perfumes.

Jean PatouJean Patou• The House of Patou featured his

perfume collection, the one element that survived during the Great Depression when the fashion business crashed.

• His first perfumes were a collection with one for brunettes, another for blondes, and a third for redheads.

• It was in 1935, at the peak of the Depression, that the fragrance Joy was designed by Henri Almeras for Patou's former clients.

Jean PatouJean Patou• By 1982, Parfums Patou

was built in London, Milan, Geneva, Australia and Hong Kong.

• Joy gained recognition as the "Scent of the Century" in the UK's Fifi Awards in 2000, outweighing long-time opponent, Chanel No.5.


• Until his death in 1936, Patou was a giant of the fashion world, dominating both couture and ready-to-wear.

• His sister's husband George Barbas took over the house. Jean Patou's great-nephews Guy and Jean de Mouy now run the company.


• Designers at the House of Patou have included:– Marc Bohan 1953-

1958– Karl Lagerfeld 1960-

1964– Jean-Paul Gaultier

1971-1973– Christian Lacroix

1981-1986

Education

Jean Patou