Above all, Jean Patou embodies a story of independence. The story of a man who became a fashion designer at the age of 22.
A man who loves luxury, beautiful materials, fast cars, motorboats and rare books.
A man who liked to take risks, both in the casino and in business. The American press rightly called him ‘the most elegant man in Europe’.
Jean Patou’s story is a love story with women. By dressing women to please them at all times, each customer had to feel and be seen as unique.
Patou, the inventor of the first sports outfits, revolutionized women’s fashion by creating clothes that allowed women to adopt a style that was both chic and casual. Patou developed sportswear and introduced it into the wardrobe of elegant women.
From mornings on the golf course to evenings at the opera, Patou’s signature is clear: the movements are free, the style is timeless. After the death of Jean Patou in 1936, his sister Madeleine and her husband Raymond Barbas took over the management of the House. Since then, big names in couture have succeeded each other as artistic directors of the House, most notably Marc Bohan, Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier, Michel Goma, Angelo Tarlazzi and Christian Lacroix.