marc jacobs

Jean Patou

Jean Patou, a French fashion designer, opened his couture house in Normandy, France, in 1919 after serving in WWI. He became popular for eradicating the flapper look by lengthening the skirt. He also returned the introducing sportswear for women; Jean Patou is considered the inventor of the tennis skirt and the knitted swimwear. His designs were also the first to popularize the cardigan, moving fashion towards the comfortable and natural. Patou was the inventor of the designer tie in the 1920´s. For his ties, he used women's dress material and they were sold in department stores next to women's perfume counters. Today, three out of four ties in America are bought by women.