Couturier and perfumer in interwar Paris, Jean Patou (1887-1936) was a modern man who created timeless classics. His studio, founded in 1914, was one of the top fashion-houses of the 20s; he was Gabrielle Chanel’s main rival. Patou, inventor of sportswear – an astonishing blend of chic and informal –, infused his creations with the influences he encountered during his short life: the Orient through his participation in WWI, expansionist pre-crash America, and a taste for the beautiful cherished by the Art Deco movement. His eventful life has been rediscovered through unpublished archives held by his descendants, entrusted to journalist Emmanuelle POLLE, who has spent over four years studying them.
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