LACOSTE STORY | 90 YEARS OF STYLE
THE CHAMPION TURNED INVENTOR
RENE LACOSTE, THE ORIGINAL CROCODILE
Once upon a time, there was an extraordinary man who revolutionized his era. A tennis legend and genius inventor, René Lacoste is a myth. This is the story of the man who turned his nickname into one of the most popular brands in the world...
A STORY ABOUT A SUITCASE
1923. "If I win, you give me that suitcase", says tennis champion René Lacoste to his team captain as he sets his sights on a crocodile skin suitcase. The bet was lost but the adventure was started. The American press, fascinated by the young man's tenacity, published the anecdote. René was now known as "the crocodile"... and became a legend in the making.
A CROCODILE SIGNED ROBERT GEORGE
1927. The stylist Robert George has fun drawing a crocodile and shows his sketches to his friend, René Lacoste. The tennis champion cannot resist the opportunity to wear the animal, the symbol of his international recognition, and has it embroidered on his white blazer. He wears it before each match. And it doesn't go unnoticed.
PUTTING A LOGO ON A GARMENT. A LACOSTE INVENTION
1933. The industrialist André Gillier helps René Lacoste develop the knit of the special tennis shirt he has designed. It is white and bears his emblem embroidered on the chest. No one has ever dared and his friends try to dissuade him, but René Lacoste perseveres... Instantly recognizable, welcome to the first ever logo on a garment. The crocodile.
90 YEARS, 10 CROCODILES
Versatile. Avant-garde. The Lacoste crocodile is a work of art. From the one designed by Robert George to today's logo, the attitude remains. This is the strength of a logo that has made history. Subtle, the crocodile passes through the hands of designers, evolving one step at a time. The result? A rallying cry that transcends cultures. And crosses time.
THE VERSATILE REPTILE
The most famous crocodile in the world changes skin...
THE INVENTION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING
ONE POLO. ONE LOGO.
Inventions that revolutionised the 20th century, a logo that spread around the world... René Lacoste was a genius mind. The first polo shirt? He designed it. Discover the story of an icon.
SLEEVES SHORTEND. MOVEMENTS LIBERATED.
1928. René Lacoste competes in the final of the French championship with a non-regulatory shirt... The outrage! The French champion plays wearing short sleeves! Faster than ever, René Lacoste is at his best. The knitwear supplely accompanying the beauty of his gesture. The other athletes are intrigued.
LACOSTE COLOURS
An unstoppable gentleman, René Lacoste created a brand in his own image. Always optimistic, always on the move. This was the obsession of the "man in white" who, after his triumph on the courts, brought colour to the world of tennis. The first coloured polo shirts appeared in 1951. Since then, the Lacoste colour palette has never stopped growing. Primary or pop, the colours never stop.
ELEGANCE MADE IN FRANCE
It is in Troyes that Lacoste weaves the thread of his fertile imagination. The man who would change everything? André Gillier. The champion along with the owner of one of the most important hosiery companies in France agreed to launch the shirt imagined by René. They developed the "petit piqué". 90 years later the factory still hums to the rhythm of the crocodile...
5 LEGENDARY PIECES
THE STORY BEHIND THE MUST-HAVES
Lacoste Polo shirts, fanny packs, tennis jumpers, caps and tracksuits cross all generations. All cultures. All evolutions.
THE TENNIS SWEATER
A sportsman's favourite since 1920, the tennis sweater can now be worn without a racket in hand. The V-neck has been modernized and asserts its century-old signature. Reinvented, the rib knitting remains. The retro spirit too. To bring out the style in the colors of the crocodile.
CROCODILE CAPS
An icon of the mid 80's, the Girolle cap with its 5 emblematic panels is making a fashion comeback. More of a flat peak or baseball cap?
100% TRACKSUITS
Originally, they were used to keep athletes warm before and after exertion. Nowadays, tracksuits are Fashion Sport pieces. Technical details. Chic design. Optimized comfort. Only one question remains... Should they be worn separately or as a set?
BUM BAGS FOREVER
A Lacoste icon since the 1980s, the bum bag is the bag chosen by millions of crocodiles who love its pop lines and practicality. Multicultural, it is a pioneer that is often imitated. But never matched.
LACOSTE LIFE
FIELDS OF EXPRESSION. FIELDS OF DISTINCTION.
The fragrance. The glasses. The watches. The household linen. The leather goods. The underwear. Lacoste is a crocodile that leaves its mark on a lifetime. Dive into a world where tennis codes, trends and technology unfold, wherever you are.
SIGNATURE SCENTS
Bottling the very essence of the Lacoste polo shirt? This was done in 1968. An alchemist of sporty-chic dynamism, the brand ventured into high-end perfumery and competed with the most famous brands. The 80's were a twist. Men, women, kids... each Lacoste addict has his own crocodile fragrance. Up to today.
IN FULL SIGHT
"Unique and different". When he launched his first line of sunglasses, Bernard Lacoste's criteria were clear. Ultra famous for its know-how, the Lamy company created the famous "Lacoste 101" in the early 1980s. Its international success was unprecedented. From then on, the crocodile look was a must-have.
LACOSTE TIME
No borders. No limits. True to René's spirit of conquest, Bernard Lacoste never stopped conquering new markets. Lacoste watches were born. Sporty, elegant, ultra-resistant... they combine the art of watchmaking with the Lacoste DNA.
CHANTACO INTERIOR
The Chantaco golf course is a sporting and family estate and a Lacoste paradise. French elegance with Art Deco details, tributes to golf and tennis everywhere you look... a particular art de vivre is cultivated here that still inspires the brand. Bed sheets, towels, bathrobes, cushions... Live the experience.
CROCODILE LEATHER GOODS
Accompanying all movements is a Lacoste obsession. From the spirit of the crocodile come bags designed to store, last and inspire. From the iconic fanny pack to the special smartphone pouch, Lacoste has been producing bestselling leather goods for five decades. Timeless tote bags, water-repellent backpacks, leather wallets... everything is possible.
UNDERWEAR KNOW-HOW
When René Lacoste joined forces with André Gillier to launch the polo shirt, it was not by chance. The industrialist was an expert in special " hosiery " knitwear, what is now called " underwear ". So in flexibility, comfort and movement. Lacoste Underwear is the result of long-standing work on mobility. An underwear tradition signed Lacoste, quality expert.
THE PATTERN REVOLUTION
CROCODILE CODES
When Robert George took over the artistic direction of Lacoste in 1933, his boundless imagination revealed itself... Everything inspired him. The tennis courts. The codes of sport. The era. Welcome to Lacoste's signature graphics.
THE PIQUE
Originally created for the polo shirt, the petit piqué is a resistant and light relief knit. From 1933 to today, there is only one step. The Lacoste material par excellence transcends the limits of clothing. From white, it has become colored. From knit, it became printed... forever more and more graphic.
THE COURT
The baseline outlines the crocodile style. White lines from the tennis court sign the Lacoste look with a graphic stripe. The piping, printed or in a white braid version, underlines the structure of the garment.
THE STRIPES
From the brushes of Robert George to the latest Lacoste collections, stripes are omnipresent. The star motif of the 1930s sports lifestyle, it was the first novelty to appear on Lacoste polo shirts. Today, it comes in all colours, all thicknesses... and all directions.
THE NET
Inspired by the codes of tennis, the Lacoste checker is a design derived from the net and the mesh of the racket. Printed. Embroidered. Knitted. The net checker is a Lacoste speciality that transcends time.
THE COLOUR BLOCK
Born from sports shirts, the colour block brands the Lacoste essentials with pop colors. The historic navy blue, green and red contrast with geometrical assemblages that stand out. Wise layouts. Daring clashes. And the crocodile bursts into life.
THE PUNCH
At just 15 years old, René Lacoste had a brilliant idea. He covered the handle of his tennis racket with surgical tape to make it more controllable. A few years later, the tape was replaced by a perforated leather strip. This was the "punch"... which can be found on many clothes and accessories.
WHEN THE CROCODILE TREATS YOU
PLAY COLLECTIVE!
Surround yourself with the best: a Lacoste philosophy. From the first steps of the crocodile to the present day, the label has never ceased to collaborate with those who imagine the future... and design the present. The result? The crocodile hybridizes. And lives on through time.
LACOST X CAMPANA
2009. Collector polo shirts made with the Campana brothers, the famous Brazilian designers. An allusion to the laces of northern Brazil and the crocodile gatherings during the dry season.
LACOSTE X LESAGE
2015. 8 unique polo shirts. 8 ambassadors. Lacoste teamed up with France's leading embroidery house, Lesage. The result? Trendy and precious pieces that re-interpret the first women's polo shirt. Haute couture version.
LACOSTE X JEAN-PAUL GOUDE
2016. Lacoste gave carte blanche to the famous photographer Jean-Paul Goude for a "Holiday" capsule collection. The idea? To reinterpret the famous crocodile through his creative eye. Mixed polo shirts, bomber jackets, leather goods... the Lacoste logo becomes either pilot or trendy balancing act across collector's items.
LACOSTE X SUPREME
2018. New York's biggest skate and streetwear label revisits the Lacoste pieces that marked the 80s and 90s. Sweaters, hoodies, accessories... The collaboration is an essential for all collectors.
LACOSTE X A.P.C
2022. One has traveled the globe. The other is purely Parisian. Hand in hand, Lacoste and A.P.C. mix their codes to create a fashionable wardrobe. Designed for the city. Designed for style.
LACOSTE X IUCN SAVE OUR SPECIES
2019. After a first collaboration-event in 2018, Lacoste launched 10 new polo shirts in favour of 10 new endangered species. The crocodile logo gave way to the Hawaiian monk seal, the Iberian lynx or the addax. The profits? All were donated to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
LACOSTE X MINECRAFT
2022. Materials with a reduced environmental footprint and recycled fabrics. A unisex wardrobe. The explorer, the intrepid, the influencer... there are as many profiles as there are players. With a style that can be built like a Minecraft world.
LACOSTE X KEITH HARING
2019. Polos, shirts, dresses, sneakers, watches... Keith Haring's mythical characters mingle with the crocodile. And even the kids are dressed in this instantly recognisable 80's street art.
LACOSTE X PETER SAVILLE
2013. Who better than the British art director to turn the white L.12.12 polo shirt into a collector's must-have? Peter Saville blurs the lines of the crocodile... and turns it into 80 different embroideries. For the 80th anniversary of the brand.
LACOSTE TRANSCENDS CULTURES
CROCODILE PLANET
René Lacoste was one of the first French sportsmen to conquer America. 90 years later, his crocodile is everywhere. From Japan to Egypt, a powerful statement. And iconic advertisements.
FRANCE
Lacoste advertisement of 1986
USA
Lacoste advert, 1997
JAPAN
Lacoste advert, 1990s
LATIN AMERICA
Lacoste advertisement 1968
LATIN AMERICA
Lacoste advert, 1988
GERMANY
Lacoste advert, 1986
EGYPT
Lacoste advert, 1967
THE RENE. THE ORIGINAL SHOE.
1958 was the year of a technical feat. Lightness, comfort, grip... Lacoste developed the first shoe for playing tennis in. Rubber reinforcement in the forefoot. Herringbone cotton canvas. Ventilation eyelets. The "René" was a star that was quickly snapped up by the champions. The start of a new chapter in the history of the crocodile.
A PROPHETIC SKETYCH
First freehand sketch of the "René" by René Lacoste. 1957. Patent: n°75 2651 entitled "Anti-slip plastic layer".
THE GOLDEN AGE OF CROCODILE SILHOUETTES
The 80s and 90s marked the advent of the Lacoste shoe. Streamlined silhouettes, innovative materials, singular details, Lacoste tennis shoes were elevated to the rank of icons and would forever leave their mark on sneakers signed by the crocodile.
ICONIC COLLABORATIONS
Hybrid, high-performance and fashionable, Lacoste shoes are a hit with the world's most discerning sneakerheads. The proof? Special sneaker collaborations with collectors... With Sneaker Freaker magazine. With the Japanese label Mastermind. Or with the most exclusive stores like Footpatrol in London, Concepts in Boston or Atmos in Tokyo and Osaka.
LACOSTE ON COURT
FRENCH OPEN AND STROKES OF GENIUS
International tennis player and brilliant inventor, René Lacoste has left the world of tennis the most beautiful legacy. A legendary team. A historic stadium. The greatest ambassadors. Visionary patents. Catch onto a story that is quite simply... extraordinary.
THE MUSKETEERS GENERATION
The French tennis team dominated the matches of the 1920s and 1930s. Six Davis Cup victories, 40 Grand Slam tournaments won in singles and doubles... the "Musketeers" were everywhere. Nicknamed after Alexandre Dumas' novel - you'd think they were wielding a sword with every forehand and backhand - and their conquering spirit, René Lacoste "the crocodile", Jean Borotra "the Leaping Basque", Jacques Brugnon alias "Toto" and Henri Cochet "the Magician" got the crowds on their feet.
THE FRENCH OPEN
The "Musketeers" swept the press and the public off their feet. In the winter of 1927-1928, the Roland-Garros Stadium was built on the edge of the Bois de Boulogne to host the Davis Cup final, brought to France by Lacoste and his cohorts. This was the least they deserved. Welcome to epic matches... and to the crocodile's most loyal partner.
LEGENDARY ON COURT. UNFORGETTABLE IN LACOSTE.
The first brand to sponsor athletes, Lacoste is a constellation of champions... who to this day embody the crocodile. In 1991, The Equijet racket invented by René Lacoste took Guy Forget to the number 4 spot in the world rankings and helped him win the Davis Cup. Just like Fabrice Santoro, "the man with the two-handed forehand", wearing Lacoste from head to toe. In 1996, Guy Forget won the trophy again... and made way for his heirs. 2001. The ultra-tenacious Arnaud Clément, in the world's top 10, and the 4th in the rankings, Sébastien Grosjean, also won the Davis Cup. Also wearing Lacoste, world number 11 Nathalie Dechy reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open. Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Venus Williams wear the crocodile to this day.
LACOSTE ON THE GREEN
A STORY OF WOMEN
Lacoste is also an undeniable brand on the golf course. If René has the backhand in his blood, he also vibrates for the passion of Simone and Catherine, his champion wife... and daughter. Let's head for Chantaco, the family stronghold that has seen so many stories born...
SIMONE AND CATHERINE, THE CHAMPIONS
British Girls Trophy. Femina Cup. French Open. With a swing as remarkable as her future husband's backhand, golf champion Simone Thion de la Chaume had already won everything. From her union with René Lacoste, Catherine was born. Like mother, like daughter... Catherine Lacoste became one of the greatest golf champions of the 1960s and 1970s.
CHANTACO, THE GOLFING PARADISE
Kiki Larretche, Juani Delgado, Sandrine Mendiburu, Jean-Claude and Armand Harismendy, Michel Tapia, Raymond Telleria... the great names of golf have all originated from Chantaco. When Simone Lacoste inherited the estate from her father, she had an ambition. This Basque land would be the land of golf. A democratic golf course, open to all. To train champions.
LACOSTE AND THE FRENCH GOLFING FEDERATION
A long-standing partner of the French Golf Federation, Lacoste is the official supplier to the FFGOLF and the French national teams.