"Jean Patou A fashionable life" by Emmanuelle Polle
Jean Patou, known as the couturier who brought elegance to sportswear and freed women with his comfortable jersey dresses and beach ensembles, had a brief but intensive fashion career. His death at a very young age (49) may be the reason why he is not a very well known now, even if he had been a strong rival to another freedom lover Coco Chanel.
This book marks a first, since for the first time the heirs of the Patou family agreed to share the archives of the house as an homage to his legacy.
Reading the book, I have a strong feeling that Patou was Coco Chanel's male version. Impeccably dressed in sharp suits , good looking, lover of life and speed (he owned speed cars and boats) he was the advertising of himself thanks to many parties and entrepreneurial activities he undertook.
What is impressive about Jean Patou's career is that he took sportswear very seriously for the first time, and when I say sportswear it is real sportswear, not only comfortable day dressing but also garments for women champions who looked beautiful while playing golf or tennis. In 1925 he opened a corner in his Parisian boutique, called "Le coin des sports" where he offered garments in knitted fabrics which gave women ability to move. He introduced chic knitted sweaters and cardigans to female wardrobe, while proposing elegant evening dresses.
As he said "I am a businessman not a couturier". In fact he had a strong commercial sense. Opening a private bar in his Parisian couture house is quite a move in 1921. The bar was called "The perfume bar" yet not selling perfumes but offering cocktails to his clientele and their friends. It is quite clever, when one considers that women could have been free to enjoy a drink in a very private environment while shopping, and husbands could have had a whisky while ladies were shopping. Did he realize that he introduced the "men's club" idea that many retailers today are creating as a concept?
For sure Patou's obsession with comfort and freedom, differentiated him in the eyes of American ladies who represented (and still do) the essence of comfort and movement and made him curious to explore America. At such a level that he did the first big casting of the fashion history in New York, looking for models to bring with him to Paris, with the idea of presenting his clothes to American women through American models. In fact Patou understood the individuality of women, evidence comes from the fact that he changed the fragrances based on the hair color of his clients. Brunettes, blondes and redheads had different fragrance options.
Of course it is difficult to guess the reasons why such an innovative house went on liquidity already before Patou passed away (in 1935). The book gives some answers but they are not very clear, just like the reason of his death. Seems like much mystery is hidden behind the story but the house in a way survived until now. Well known names designed for the house of Patou, like a young Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Lacroix until when in 1987 haute couture was closed. Since then the name Patou goes on thanks to the fragrances, and specifically "Joy", the all time rival to Chanel No5, which was awarded "The scent of the century" in 2001.
It is now said that Jean Patou couture will be revived but no details are declared yet.
The book is a great reference for Patou's life. Even if, chronologically it confuses the reader, going from one story to another without following a storical order. In addition to this, I believe they should have included some more information on what happened after Jean Patou passed away, since his successions are big names in fashion.
Anyway, recommended for any fashion history enthusiast who wants a taste of 20s and 30s and enrich his/her fashion knowledge. Thanks to my dear sister who gave me this book as a gift.
