Our History
Jean Barthet was born in the village of Nay, the son of shopkeepers. He attended the Catholic school Saint-Joseph, where he was already devoted to drawing. The priests would sometimes catch him sketching nude women wearing hats… just hats! Everything was already there: a confident line, elegant women, hats, and a flair for mischief.
Early beginnings
Drawn to form and volume, he studied architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts in Toulouse to refine his artistic training. But it was Marie-Andrée Castanié, family friend and director of L’Officiel de la couture et de la mode in Paris, who encouraged him to explore millinery after seeing his sketches.
At 21, he “went up” to Paris, as the saying goes.
“Fashion magazines made my head spin, and the compliments of high-society Béarnaise women, fascinated by my way of tying even just a turban with a bath towel, had set my path: I would be a milliner in Paris. Though I loved the solitude of the mountains, the greenery, the countryside, the fresh air and serene calm of my homeland, I got on my bicycle, put on my best overalls, and rode to the capital. There, of course, I found the grayness and the noise — but above all, the realization of my dream: the atmosphere of collections and the pride of creation.”
Crafting
Timeless
Beauty
He trained under milliner Gilbert Orcel before opening his own atelier in 1950, avenue Matignon. He would never leave this “golden triangle” of French chic, later moving to Faubourg Saint-Honoré, rue François Ier, and rue Tronchet.
Although hats were fading from everyday life, Jean Barthet knew how to win over elegant women by making hats an accessory rather than an obligation. He renewed millinery language, offering pieces never too solemn, favoring chic infused with wit, energy, and even humor. He reimagined the beret, glorified the turban, brought veils back into style (especially at night), and always celebrated the glamorous lightness of the wide-brimmed hat.
His technical virtuosity and creative freshness soon earned him the title “Prince of Milliners,” whether designing for his own brand or for couturiers like Carven, Jean-Louis Scherrer, or Pierre Balmain. His official consecration came when the city of Boston awarded him the cup for the most talented young milliner, in the presence of Cristóbal Balenciaga and Christian Dior, before he began a series of lectures promoting “the radiance of Paris.”
Photo Guy Marineau Collection Claude Montana 1984
Prestigious clients quickly flocked to him, ordering pieces worn in daily life, on stage, or at spectacular events such as balls, royal weddings, and society galas. His international clientele included actresses from every continent — Brigitte Bardot, Lauren Bacall, Michèle Morgan, Jeanne Moreau, Elizabeth Taylor, Greta Garbo, and lifelong friend Sophia Loren — as well as powerful women like Jackie Kennedy, who kept secret that her milliner was French. European royals and grande dames like the Rothschilds and Hélène Rochas also sought his creations.
BARTHET - MILLINER TO THE STARS
He played a decisive role in the rise of Brigitte Bardot, spotting her charm even before she was a star. For his second collection, he boldly staged a hat fashion show and invited the young Brigitte to introduce it. The press noticed the budding actress as much as his designs. When she became the first truly modern star — rebellious, sensual, disarming, and innocent — she remained loyal to Barthet, who crafted her iconic looks: playful straw hats, tambourines, berets, and flirtatious scarves tied on panamas. Together, they proved hats could embody the spirit of the sexual revolution.
From Grace Kelly of Monaco to Sophia Loren, from Romy Schneider to Catherine Deneuve, his hats crowned the greatest icons. He even created Michael Jackson’s legendary fedora for the Bad World Tour (1988), a hat so inseparable from the singer that it became his signature.
Photo Guy Marineau Collection Claude Montana 1989
Shot by Guy Marineau
Shot by Paolo Calia
Cinema, fashion, music, and high society all bore Barthet’s mark — from The Young Girls of Rochefort with Jacques Demy to collaborations with couturiers like Courrèges, Paco Rabanne, Karl Lagerfeld, Mugler, and Montana.
Jean Barthet lived between Nay, his refuge; Paris, his beacon; and the world, his playground.