PATOU

Jean Patou founded his eponymous house in 1914. His first creations were inspired by his travels in the Balkans and the East. He stood out from his competitors, Jeanne Lanvin and Gabrielle Chanel, his great rival, by being all the more visionary.

His shop on rue Saint-Florentin in Paris attracted the elite and high society. Jean Patou created "Joy", the most expensive perfume in the world. His death in 1936 from a stroke brought the adventure to an end. After the shock of his passing, Madeleine Patou, his sister, and Raymond Barbas, her husband, took over the reins of the house.

The house has seen some of the greatest names of fashion at its helm: Karl Lagerfeld, Michel Goma, and under his direction, Jean Paul Gaultier made his debut there, followed by Angelo Tarlazzi and Christian Lacroix. After Christian Lacroix left to start his own house, the Jean Patou house ceased its activity. 

Jean Patou was acquired in 2018 by the LVMH group - which signed a strategic agreement with Designer Parfums to take over the clothing division. Sidney Toledano has appointed Guillaume Henry to the artistic direction, entrusting him with the task of relaunching his women's ready-to-wear lines.