Jean Patou A Comeback

Jean Patou, voila, a name that makes you dream of generations of style and elegance. Symbol of excellence, the House, which celebrated last year its one hundred years, made a return to the smashing sources by reinvesting its classics of perfumery in a heritage collection, but also with a new olfactory creation: Joy Forever. But the return does not stop there…

Jean Patou is back! After some heavy years under Procter & Gamble ownership, they realy didn’t know how to treat and develop such an historical heritage and high-luxury brand as Jean Patou.

Jean Patou Boutique at 9 Rue Saint Florentin 75008 Paris

Early this year, Jean Patou Parfums recently celebrated the opening of its newly refurbished on-site perfume laboratory, adjacent to the Jean Patou Boutique, located at 9 rue Saint Florentin, in Paris. Both the Jean Patou boutique and laboratory now occupy generous and beautifully appointed spaces in the same building of the original Jean Patou Maison de Couture, which first opened its doors in 1914.

This is actually where the couturier Jean Patou (1887-1936) had his boutique and studios: the house stayed at this address from 1914 to 2004. When CEO Bruno Cottard decided to move from the rue de Castiglione, he started his search with the rue Saint-Florentin. Serendipitously, premises were available. So he’s managed to bring Jean Patou back home, which he takes as an excellent omen for the revival of the brand: ultimately, the plan was to reopen the fashion branch.

The boutique is larger and equipped with a couch to sniff at one’s leisure with the Monclins, those cognac glasses with the foot sawed off to let a blotter through that Jean-Michel Duriez introduced when he was Patou’s in-house perfumer. It will soon be decorated with Art Déco furniture owned by the couturier and preserved by his great-nephew Jean De Moüy. Other brands owned by Designer Parfums, includes  the first Jean-Louis Scherrer No.I, a wonderful green chypre, and the most amazing fragrance (after Jean Patou 1000) Scherrer II, are also available.

The Jean Patou line-up has been restored by current in-house perfumer, Thomas Fontaine to its original formulas with the help of the former in-house perfumer Jean Kerléo (from 1967 to 1998), inasmuch as new regulations would allow. A living encyclopedia, the 80 year old Kerléo was often able to suggest equivalents for discontinued ingredients.

To mark the occasion, Jean Patou Parfums launched a set of limited edition miniature fragrance bottles containing four iconic Jean Patou fragrances, ‘Joy’ (1930), ‘Joy Forever’ (2013), ‘1000’ (1972), and ‘Sublime’ (1992) (Click poto to enlarge).

The triumphant return of three classic Jean Patou fragrances from the historical archive, the House of Patou presents COLLECTION HÉRITAGE. Patou Pour Homme, Chaldee and Eau de Patou have been selected by Thomas Fontaine to showcase the re-birth of the House and to satisfy the continuing demand by perfume aficionados around the world.

The first three Jean Patou Collection Heritage fragrances: Chaldee, Eau de Patou and Patou Pour Homme (Click photo to enlarge)

Expanded with the three first fragrances launched in 1925 by Jean Patou: the green floral Amour Amour, the gardenia-themed Adieu Sagesse and the fruity chypre Que Sais-je? Followed by L’Heure Attendue and Vacances.

One more address to add to your Parisian perfume pilgrimage: 9 rue Saint-Florentin right by the place de la Concorde.

Also available at fine selected fragrance boutiques and department stores worldwide.

by Jean Amr