Lacoste

French company Lacoste S.A- which is at the cornerstone of fashion and sports wear- was formed by the  world's top tennis player Jean René Lacoste and entrepreneur André Gillier.  During a trip to Boston with the Davis Cup team in 1923, he admired a crocodile- skin suitcase in a store window and coach Alan Muhr promised to gift it to him if he won the match; this anecdote, captured by a journalist from Boston Evening Transcript, led to his nickname "le Crocodile" and inspired his brand's reptilian logo. In November 2012 Lacoste was bought by Swiss family-held group Maus Frères.

French company Lacoste S.A- which is at the cornerstone of fashion and sports wear- was formed by Tennis Hall Of Fame Jean René Lacoste and André Gillier- owner and president of a large French knitwear manufacturing firm. 

During a trip to Boston with the Davis Cup team in 1923, he admired a crocodile- skin suitcase in a store window and coach Alan Muhr promised to gift it to him if he won the match. René didn't win but he had the determination of a crocodile on court, which inspired an American journalist from Boston Evening Transcript to give him this nickname. In 1927 stylist Robert George drew a crocodile and showed his sketches to his friend, René Lacoste. The tennis champion loved it and couldn't resist getting it embroidered on the white blazer which he wore before each match. It didn't go unnoticed.

In 1933 industrialist André Gillier helped René Lacoste develop the knit of the white tennis shirt he had designed with the crocodile emblem embroidered on the chest. There was no looking back. The sportswear brand was revolutionary — instead of the long-sleeve shirts worn with pleated trousers and belted waists that was the norm.. Lacoste shortened the sleeves of the tennis shirt to create the first comfortable polo embroidered with a signature crocodile that made them instantly recognizable. He had created a brand. The "man in white" soon brought colour to the courts. The first coloured polo shirts appeared in 1951. Since then the Lacoste colour palette has never stopped evolving and growing.

Lacoste designed the modern wardrobe: light, adaptable and desirable. René Lacoste also took an interest in the fabrics. For example the Petit Piqué is made of fibres knit together at two different levels of tension to create a finely honeycombed fabric that enables air to circulate freely. Breathable and lightweight, this fabric ensures comfort, ease of movement and elegance. In the Nineties- hard-wearing fabric Diamond Weave Taffeta-  lent Lacoste tracksuits a solid criss-crossed weave. Lined with jersey or cotton- this was clothing for sport or comfort.

Some of the signature looks include the tennis jumper. A sportsman's favourite since 1920, the tennis jumper can now be worn without a racket in hand. The V-neck has been modernised but the rib knitting remains. An icon of the mid 80's, the Girolle cap with its five emblematic panels is making a fashion comeback. Originally, tracksuits were used to keep athletes warm before and after a match. Nowadays tracksuits are Fashion Sport pieces. Only one question remains... Should they be worn separately or as a set? A Lacoste icon since the Eighties.. the bum bag is the bag chosen by millions of crocodiles who love its pop lines and practicality. 

"Bottling the very essence of the Lacoste polo shirt? This was done in 1968." The brand ventured into high-end perfumery and competed with the most famous brands. Men- women- kids.. each Lacoste addict has his own crocodile fragrance. Shortly Lacoste launched timepieces. Sporty, elegant and resistant... these watches combine the art of watchmaking with the Lacoste DNA. From the iconic bum bag to the smartphone pouch, Lacoste began producing leather goods like totes- water-repellent backpacks- and leather wallets.

Bernard Lacoste became seriously ill in early 2005 which led him to transfer the presidency of Lacoste to his younger brother and closest collaborator for many years- Michel Lacoste. In 2015 Thierry Guibert was appointed CEO of Lacoste and MF Brands Group. Since then Thierry has steadfastly upheld the values of the Lacoste brand: audacity to constantly conquer new heights.. tenacity to commit teams to a shared project.. and confidence and transparency to foster boldness and creativity in each and every one of us.

In June 2007 Lacoste introduced their e-commerce site for the U.S. market. In 2017 tennis player Novak Djokovic was named brand ambassador and "the new crocodile" for Lacoste. As part of a five-year contract he appeared in advertising campaigns for Lacoste. PS Lacoste didn't just invent the polo shirt. He also created the tennis ball machine -because he wanted to work on his overhead- as well as the first steel tennis racket.. and filed 20 new patents between the 1960s and '80s after retiring from the sport in 1932. "Inventor should be on my business cards" Lacoste once said. "I've been inventing all my life!"

Lacoste’s global success can be attributed to its dedication to quality and authenticity. The luxury brand has established a strong presence worldwide through standalone stores, boutiques and e-commerce platforms. Lacoste's commitment to sustainable practices is evident as it embraces eco-friendly materials- implements responsible production processes- and champions initiatives that promote environmental consciousness. The brand believes in giving back. "Save Our Species" - a three-year collaboration between Lacoste and International Union for Conservation of Nature- give profits from the brand's limited edition collection of white polo shirts - where the iconic crocodile logo was replaced with ten endangered wildlife -  towards helping IUCN's efforts to conserve endangered wildlife.

"Liberate movement and connect all cultures" is the purpose that has inspired Lacoste's brand mission which is first and foremost focused on liberating movement- acting without constraints and daring to move past given codes to unites it even more. This mission transforms the brand's convictions into action.

Excellence and elegance. Lacoste is steeped in a creative spirit. 'Whether in the design of products, how they are manufactured, or the sourcing of raw materials, we identify new invention drivers throughout the lifecycle of our clothing.
But what makes the crocodile so smart, is that it builds this creativity on two immutable values passed down by René Lacoste himself: excellence and elegance.'

Lacoste retails apparel- Polos- T-Shirts- sweaters and sweatshirts- button down shirts- jackets and coats- sweatpants and trousers- shorts and swimwear- loungewear and pyjamas- underwear and socks in addition to sports collections for tennis and golf.