Jean Patou
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2008-07-03T16:54:45Z
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{{Infobox Fashion Designer
|image= Jean Patou.jpg
|caption= ''[[Monsieur|M.]] Jean Patou.''
|name= Jean Patou
|nationality= [[French people|French]]
|birth_date= {{birth date|1880|8|19|mf=y}}
|birth_place= {{flagicon|France}} [[Caen]], [[France]]
|death_date= {{death date and age|1936|3|8|1887|8|19}}
|death_place=[[Paris]], [[France]]
|education=
|label_name= Jean Patou
|significant_design= [[sportswear]]
|awards=
|}}
'''Jean Patou''' ([[August 19]], [[1880]] - [[March 8]], [[1936]]) was a [[France|French]] [[fashion designer]].
== Early life ==
Patou was born in [[Normandy]], [[France]] in 1880. Patou's family's business was in tanning and furs. Patou worked with his uncle in [[Normandy]], then moved to [[Paris]] in [[1910]], intent on becoming a couturier.
==1910s - World War I and later==
In [[1912]] he opened a small dressmaking salon called "Maison Parry". His entire [[1914]] collection was purchased by a one single American buyer.<ref name=PerfumeX>{{cite web | url = http://www.fragrancex.com/products/_bid_Jean--Patou-am-cid_perfume-am-lid_J__brand_history.html |title= History and background of Jean Patou | accessdate=2008-06-08 | publisher [http://www.fragrancex.com fragranceX.com]}}</ref>.Patou's work as was interrupted by [[World War I]]. He was mobilised in August 1914, shorty after the German invasion of Belgium. Patou served as a Captain in the [[Zouaves#The_Third_Republic|Zouaves]] <ref name=Saga Jean Patou>{{cite web | url = http://www.prodimarques.com/sagas_marques/jean_patou/jean_patou.php |title= Saga Jean Patou | accessdate=2008-06-08 | publisher [http://www.prodimarques.com/index.php prodimarques.com]}}</ref> Reopening his couture house in 1919, he became known for eradicating the [[flapper]] look by lengthening the skirt and returning introducing [[sportswear]] for women, and is considered the inventor of the knitted swimwear and the [[tennis skirt]]. He notably designed the then daring sleeveless and thigh-length cut tennis wear for [[Suzanne Lenglen]]. {{fact|date=May 2008}} He also was the first designer to popularize the [[cardigan (sweater)|cardigan]], and moved fashion towards the ''natural and comfortable''.{{fact|date=May 2008}}[[Image:SuzanneLenglen.jpg|thumb|left|150px|[[Suzanne Lenglen]], ''la divine'']]
==1920s==
Jean Patou invented the designer [[Necktie|tie]] in the 1920s. He used women's dress material for his ties and they were displayed in department stores next to women's perfume counjjkk The designer tie style is still prominent amongst contemporary fashion designers, such as [[Louis Feraud]], [[Timothy Everest]], [[Duchamp (clothing)|Duchamp]] and [[Paul Smith (fashion designer)|Paul Smith]]
In 1928, Jean Patou created "Huile de Caldee", the first sun lotion.
==1930s==
clothes were marketed mostly to wealthy American women. {{fact|date=May 2008}}
When the stock market crashed, however, so did the market for luxury fashion. The [[House of Patou]] survived through its [[perfume]]s, which remain well known today.{{who|date=May 2008}}
The best known of Patou's perfumes is "[[Joy (perfume)|Joy]]," a a heavy floral scent, based on the most precious rose and jasmine, that remained the costliest perfume in the world, until the House of Patou introduced "1000" (a heavy, earthy floral perfume, based on a rare osmanthus) in the late 1970s. Before Joy, the House of Patou released many other perfumes, many which were to celebrate particular events. For example, Normandie (an oriental forerunner to perfumes such as Yves Saint Laurent's Opium) celebrated the French ocean liner of the same name, and Vacances (a mixture of green and lilac notes) celebrated the first French paid national holidays. Other Patou perfumes of the same time were Amour Amour (the forerunner of Joy, using the same rose notes, but without the jasmine), Adieu Sagesse, Que Sais Je (these three were released at the same time; Patou's idea was that the light floral Que Sais Je was suitable for blondes; the tart, spicy Adieu Sagesse for redheads, and the heavy floral Amour Amour for brunettes), L'Heure Attendue (a wonderful, unique oriental perfume), Divine Folie (a floral vanilla), Caline (a wonderful chypre perfume, similar to the much later Diorling by Christian Dior), Moment Supreme (a perfume based on lavender), Colony (which had a strong pineapple note), Chaldee (Patou's Huile de Chaldee sun oil had become so popular, many customers were buying it purely for its smell, therefore, Chaldee the perfume (a dry musk) was produced), Le Sien (one of the first perfeumes for men and women), and Cocktail (literally a floral cocktail). All these, with the exception of Le Sien, were re-released during the 1980s (under the name Ma Collection), and were available until recently, all in a 50ml Eau de Toilette Spray, 75ml Eau de Toilette bottle, and 30ml pure perfume bottle, each with a unique art deco box. A Jean Patou silk scarf, printed in the same pattern as the box was included with the pure perfume. Joy remains the world's second best-selling scent (the first is [[Chanel No. 5]]), ''Joy'' was created by [[Henri Alméras]] for Patou at the height of the [[Great Depression]] (1935) for Patou's former clients who could no longer afford his [[haute couture]] clothes.
==Legacy==
Patou died in 1936. His sister Madeleine and her husband Raymond Barbas continued the House of Patou, which remained a family-owned enterprise until September [[2001]] when it was bought by [[Procter & Gamble Company]]. Other designers to have been associated with this house are [[Jean Kerléo]] and [[Karl Lagerfeld]]. Jean Patou has continued to produce perfumes, which have included Eau de Patou, Ma Liberte, Un Amore de Patou, Sublime, Patou Forever, EnJoy, and Sira des Indes. Also two men's perfumes, Patou Pour Homme (a spicy chypre) and Voyageur (a fresh, much more modern scent) have been available. Sadly recent years have seen the discontinuation of Ma Collection, Eau de Patou, Ma Liberte, Un Amour de Patou, as well as a reduction of the products available in the Joy and "1000" ranges.
==External links==
* [http://vintagepatterns.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Patou Sewing patterns by Jean Patou]
* [http://www.fragrantica.com/designers/Jean+Patou.html Jean Patou Fragrances]
* {{cite web |publisher= [[Victoria and Albert Museum]]
|url= http://www.vam.ac.uk/vastatic/microsites/1486_couture/explore.php
|title= Interactive timeline of couture houses and couturier biographies}}
[[Category:1880 births|Patou, Jean]]
[[Category:1936 deaths|Patou, Jean]]
[[Category:French fashion designers|Patou, Jean]]
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