Abstract
This paper explores the early diversification of Paris haute couture firms through the lens of the wholesale clothing line of the house of Jean Patou. In 1929, Jean Patou founded a separate division under the name “Jane Paris.” He aimed to better reach his American buyers, therefore complementing the strategies of Americanization for his haute couture house. The case of Jane Paris allows us to examine how Paris couturiers developed their own ready-to-wear in a context of increased international competition and economic difficulties for the traditional haute couture model. That the Jane Paris experiment only lasted for a few months while the house of Jean Patou flourished suggests that the strategy to diversify succeeded in beauty and accessories, rather than in clothing.
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