I just love Jean Patou's work - he's one of my truly inspirational fashion designers who's work helped me through college in studying fashion and design. In fact, his work inspired me to go for a commission designing big and tall mens clothing for a well known high street mens designer clothes store.

But that's enough about me, what I really want to share is what I know about the famous fashion designer Jean Patou, and why so many people have been inspired by him.

The first designer to use his monogram as a design feature, Jean Patou worked in fashion from 1907 and established his couture house during the First World War. His clothing design was known for its originality and consistency in liberty, quality and prestige. Like Chanel (his legendary rival), in the 1920s, he realized that women wanted to be emancipated from Edwardian frippery and his collections included items such as sportswear, spectator clothes and beachwear.

Patou was one of the first couturiers to recognize the need to develop a range of ready-to-wear clothes for his clients, which could be purchased in either small or medium sizes, with the price including one alteration. This marked a new direction in couture in 1929, and pre-empted the concept of 'fashion designer wear' that we know today.

Patou's designs took their inspiration from prevailing artistic movements, including cubism and the strong, simple lines and geometric shapes of art deco. His clothes were also known for their beautiful embroidery, outstanding workmanship, hand-finishing and exquisite detailing. Significantly, during the 1930s, Patou became a pioneer of the modern machine-knitwear industry, creating cubist-inspired jumpers with matching hats, scarves and gloves, as well as the first knitted swimsuit.

In 1932, he dropped the hemline and raised the waistline, reviving the moyen-age silhouette that French Vogue magazine described as 'dreams of beauty'. Chanel quickly followed suit and is, ironically, the designer credited with establishing the new silhouette.

Patou's shows were the event of Parisian haute society in the 1930s. As a precursor of today's obsession with dressing 'celebrities' Patou was famous for dressing tennis idol Suzanne Lenglen, Hollywood golden girl Mary Pickford and society notables Lady Diana Cooper, Louise Brooks and the Dolly sisters.

Considered brilliant at public relations, and possibly the first designer to have invented the 'celebrity fashion show', he ensured that celebrities, journalists and friends packed the front rows of special preview parades for his couture lines, where he served champagne and gave out perfume samples.

Patou became renowned for his perfume ranges. He introduced 'Joy' in 1935, which continues to be popular to this day: it was named "Scent of The Century' (UKs Fifi awards) in 2000, even outselling Chanel No. 5. In 1984, he re-released 12 commemorative fragrances: one of the revivals, 'Normandie' was created for the maiden voyage of the legendary ocean liner in 1935; another,' Vacances, originally commemorated the introduction of paid vacations in France in 1936; and 'L 'Heure
Attendue (The Expected Time) was created in 1946 to mark the liberation of Paris two years earlier.

After his death, his brother-in-law Raymond Barkas took over the business. Other designers for the house have included Marc Bohan (1954 to 1956), Karl Lagerfeld (1960 to 1963; Jean Paul Gaurier (1971 to 1973; Talazzi (1973 to 1977), Gonzales (1977 to 1982) and Christian Lacroix (1982 to 1987.