Who Designs Patou? Guillaume Henry and What Comes Next
Who Designs Patou? Guillaume Henry and What Comes Next
Patou has no artistic director at the time of writing. Guillaume Henry led
the house from the 2018 LVMH relaunch until February 2026, and the maison has not named a
successor. Most retailer pages still describe him as the current designer. They are out of
date, and if you are researching the brand that is the single most useful thing to know.
Guillaume Henry at Patou, 2018 to 2026
LVMH named Henry artistic director of the house in September 2018, and he presented his
first collection during Paris Fashion Week in September 2019. His brief was not to revive
couture but to build a light, wearable ready-to-wear line under a couture name: dresses and
blouses that were easy to wear, priced to be bought rather than admired, and carried by a
permanent range the house calls Les Essentiels.
The signatures that came out of that tenure are the ones the house still sells. The volume
blouse with its drawstring collar and grosgrain ties. The gathered bloomer skirt. The Iconic
trouser with its signature darts. The JP monogram lifted off Jean Patou’s 1920s sportswear and
put back onto jersey, jacquard knits and denim. Le Patou Bag, introduced in 2021, with the
monogram cut into a half-circle body.
Before Patou
Henry was born in France in 1978 and studied at the Beaux-Arts in Troyes, then the
Duperré school and the Institut Français de la Mode. He worked at Givenchy under
Julien MacDonald and Riccardo Tisci, then spent three years at Paule Ka. In 2009, at thirty, he
took over the artistic direction of Carven and turned a dormant heritage house into a
commercial success from its first collection. In 2015 he became creative director of Nina
Ricci. Patou was his third heritage revival in a row.
The departure
On 6 February 2026 the house and Henry announced they were parting ways after seven years,
described as a mutual decision that let him focus on other projects while Patou explored a new
model for its future development. Sidney Toledano thanked him for the energy he had brought.
His final collection was Autumn/Winter 2026, shown during Paris Fashion Week in January 2026 at
the Palais de Tokyo.
What that means for what you can buy
Everything currently in circulation, including the pieces at Coveti, comes from
Henry’s tenure. In practice that is a settled, coherent wardrobe rather than a house mid-pivot:
the Essentiels carry over, the tailoring is consistent season to season, and the signature
shapes are all his. If you like the house as it is now, this is the version of it to buy.
Start with designer dresses, designer tops and designer jackets. Read
our honest review of the brand.
More Patou guides
- Is Patou Sustainable? The Numbers the House Publishes
- Who Owns Patou? LVMH, Designer Parfums and the 2018 Split
- Brands Like Patou: 8 Alternatives Worth Knowing
- Le Patou Bag: The Complete Guide
- Patou Iconic Trousers: Fit, Fabric and Styling
- How to Style Patou: An Editor Guide
Frequently asked questions
Who is the creative director of Patou?
Nobody, currently. Guillaume Henry was artistic director from 2018 until February 2026 and no successor has been announced.
When did Guillaume Henry leave Patou?
February 2026, announced on 6 February. It was described as a mutual decision. His last collection was Autumn/Winter 2026, shown in Paris in January 2026.
Who designed Patou before Guillaume Henry?
Jean Patou himself until 1936, then a remarkable run of names from 1954 onward: Marc Bohan, Karl Lagerfeld, Michel Goma, Jean Paul Gaultier, Angelo Tarlazzi and Christian Lacroix. Couture stopped in 1987.
Where did Guillaume Henry work before Patou?
Givenchy, then Paule Ka for three years, then Carven from 2009 and Nina Ricci from 2015.
Is Patou still producing collections?
Yes. The house showed Autumn/Winter 2026 in January 2026 and continues to sell, though it has not named a new artistic director.
Sources
- FashionNetwork, “Patou parts ways with artistic director Guillaume Henry”, 6 February 2026
- Patou, “Jean Patou is now Patou”, patou.com
- LVMH, Patou Fall-Winter 2026 show note
Written and fact-checked by Gemma Deeks, Fashion Editor at Coveti. Last reviewed September 2026.
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