The JP Monogram: Jean Patou and the First Designer Logo

The two letters on Patou jersey, jacquard knits and denim are not a modern branding
exercise. Jean Patou put his initials on clothes in the 1920s, and he is
frequently credited as the first couturier to use his own monogram as a visible logo.

Where it came from

In the 1920s Patou was selling to the seaside: Deauville, Cannes, Biarritz and Monte Carlo,
where he opened a shop in 1925. He made bathrobes and swimwear to measure and marked them with
JP. At a moment when a couturier’s name lived on a label sewn inside a
garment, putting the initials on the outside was a genuinely new idea, and it is the thing
that most directly connects the 1920s house to the one LVMH relaunched in 2018.

The sportswear context

The monogram belongs to a larger project. Patou built a sports line designed to be worn in
town, took the corset out of the dress, shortened the skirt, and dressed the tennis champion
Suzanne Lenglen in clothes she could actually move in. He is credited with
popularising the cardigan and with the knitted swimsuit and the tennis skirt. The monogram was
the mark on all of it.

Where you see it now

• Jersey. Embroidered on the chest of t-shirts, tank tops and sweatshirts
  in Les Essentiels, usually in calligraphy rather than block letters.
• Jacquard knits. Knitted into the front of the merino and cotton-blend
  jumpers in a contrast colour.
• Hardware. Engraved on the gold-tone buttons of the tailoring and on bag
  fastenings.
• Le Patou Bag. Cut into the leather as
  geometric openings rather than printed on it.
• Denim. Embroidered on the sleeve of the Iconic denim jacket and at the
  waistband of the trousers.

Is it a loud logo?

No, and that is deliberate. The monogram is usually tonal, embroidered rather than printed,
and small. Next to the houses Patou is priced alongside it is one of the quieter marks in
luxury, which will read as the appeal to some buyers and as the drawback to others.

Find it across designer tops, designer knitwear and designer bags. Read the full house history.

More Patou guides

• Patou Knitwear: Merino, Cashmere and the Jacquard Logo
• Where to Buy Patou: Stockists and Shipping
• Who Designs Patou? Guillaume Henry and What Comes Next
• Brands Like Patou: 8 Alternatives Worth Knowing
• Le Patou Bag: The Complete Guide
• Patou Iconic Trousers: Fit, Fabric and Styling

Frequently asked questions

What does JP stand for on Patou?

Jean Patou, the founder. He put his initials on bathrobes and swimwear for Deauville, Cannes and Biarritz in the 1920s.

Was Jean Patou the first designer to use a logo?

He is widely credited as the first couturier to use his own initials as a visible monogram on clothing, in the 1920s, when designer names normally appeared only on an internal label.

Where does the JP monogram appear today?

Embroidered on jersey, knitted into the jacquard jumpers, engraved on tailoring buttons and bag hardware, and cut into the leather of Le Patou Bag.

Who was Suzanne Lenglen?

The French tennis champion Jean Patou dressed in the 1920s, and the figure most associated with his sportswear. He designed clothes she could move in at a time when sportswear for women barely existed.

Sources

• Patou, “The Story of the Maison” and “Jean Patou, the most elegant man in Europe”, patou.com
• Wikipedia, “Jean Patou”

Written and fact-checked by Gemma Deeks, Fashion Editor at Coveti. Last reviewed September 2026.