At sixteen, Jean Touitou backed chairman Mao, at twenty he joined the Trotskyite International Organisation (the O.C.I), Dublin was his secret name. He later became a storeman then accountant for Kenzo, and later an associate for the development of Agnes b. However, it was in 1987 that Jean began A.P.C (Atelier de Production et de Creation) with a men's collection, the womens's collection began in 1988. There have been more than 40 collections since that date. His collections simply look like those who wear them, mostly impalpable, half dissident and half trendsetter, urban evanescent and wanderers full of idiosyncracies.

Within A.P.C's head office on the rue Madame, Paris, you can often see Jean's accountant and p.r woman gathered in the house recording studio. Jonathan Richman, Sofia Coppola, Marc Jacobs, Bill Laswell, Wes Anderson were there before them. This is all part of A.P.C's disquieting game of hopscotch (olive oil, guitar pick, perfume, Men's handbag) and a new square has turned up in this game: a private kindergarten school, rue de Fleurus, designed by Laurent Deroo, with furniture by Alvar Aalto and with the help of Jessica Ogden.