Jean Patou To Return To High Fashion First With Bespoke Perfume

Nearly 30 years after the last Jean Patou fashion show took place in Paris in 1987 under the aegis of Christian Lacroix, there is talk of reawakening the stylish house from its sartorial ashes. But first, the brand have decided to open a bespoke perfume service dedicated to those patrons who allow Haute Couture to breathe, just a few thousand people worldwide...

A Street Photo of Jean Patou in 1914

Like Guerlain and Cartier, in-house Patou perfumer Thomas Fontaine, who is the de facto curator of Joy by Patou and the rest of the house fragrance portfolio, will be on hand to listen to rich customers, interpret their desires and finally propose a unique signature scent for 50 000€, which will be "refillable" for a few thousands more. The formula however will remain the property of the house.

Bruno Cottard, the vice-president of Jean Patou says that the project wishes to be a first line of defense of "true luxury". He thinks that the label is being faithful to its cultural heritage as the purveyors of "the most expensive perfume in the world" which reportedly remains true to this day thanks to the overdose of jasmine from Grasse in Joy which costs 77,000€ a kilo at current rates.

image: http://www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalamander/images/suzanne_lenglen_tennis_patou_1926.jpg

Tennis Champion Suzanne Lenglen wearing a Patou ensemble in 1926. Jean Patou is credited with inventing the tennis skirt.

This of course in our viewpoint would not be entirely conducted in exactly the same spirit since Joy was a rich perfume created for an impoverished American clientèle experiencing the shock waves of the Crash of 1929, before becoming a symbol of true yet affordable luxury for the larger consumer market.

Not entirely artisanal in its operating model either, and in fact just like for big market launches, the newly-created perfume will undergo laboratory and regulation tests which cost 15 000€.

Added trappings will be - beyond the unique blend - a coffret made by one of three possible baggage specialists: Pinel & Pinel, Elie Bleu or Norline. The flacon will be signed by Baccarat. Patou see it as a celebration of the Made in France label although the brand is now owned by Designer Parfums, a branch of the British group Shaneel.

The most interesting part might be that this is considered as a possible first step towards a relaunch of the House of Patou.

Via JDD

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