Lacoste: From Racquets to Runways
by Marley Lupin
Celebrities, models or artists usually come to mind when one
thinks about fashion icons.
Historically, professional athletes were not paired with the world of
fashion and style — well, not until René Lacoste came onto the scene back in
the 1920s. Many probably do not know
that the very familiar green crocodile on polo shirts all over the world
actually originates from the functional designs of a professional athlete. René Lacoste, known as "the Crocodile" to
both fans and opponents, was a French tennis player who dominated the game in
the twenties and thirties. He supposedly
made a bet with a friend that he would win a Davis Cup match in exchange for a
crocodile skin suitcase. Although he did
not win that match, the crocodile nickname stayed with him and he soon chose to
brand the large crocodile emblem on the outside of his jacket.
From then on, René Lacoste began branding all of his
personal tennis shirts with a green crocodile on the outside. He was an early proponent of functional
athletic clothing. He wore cotton knit
shirts with a uniquely aired mesh that better absorbed perspiration, ultimately
replacing the typical woven, long sleeve, starched shirts most tennis players
of the era used. In 1933 René and the
largest French clothing provider, André Gillier, teamed up to produce the
Lacoste tennis polo shirts, one of the first companies to have the brand name
on the outside of the shirt. Soon they
expanded their clothing line to include golf and sailing shirts, and by the
1950's Lacoste had become a must for all sport affiliates.
Throughout the years, Lacoste increased their product lines
and number of locations. The Lacoste
brand now includes apparel for men, women and children, shoes (typically
sneakers), perfumes and colognes, glasses, watches, belts and various leather
goods. They even make furniture—quite an
expansion from the traditional white tennis polo! Lacoste is located in 113 countries, and
sells clothing through their online store.
Lacoste has over 1050 boutiques and a presence in over 2000 department
stores such as Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's or Bloomingdale's. It is noted that every second there are two
Lacoste items being sold worldwide. This
somehow makes their 1.5 billion euro turnover each year a little easier to
comprehend.
The Lacoste brand continues to stay true to its athletic
roots, with a host of "Lacoste Ambassadors" in the Tennis and Golf world—famous
athletes such as American tennis player Andy Roddick proudly display the
crocodile. In addition to sponsoring
particular athletes, Lacoste is a partner in many golf and tennis events around
the world, from the Australia Tennis Open to the Golf Open de France in
Paris.
The company's bright, fun and preppy advertising mirrors the
same attitude which René Lacoste initially brought to the sports and fashion
world—an original, unique and authentic message for both athletes and followers
of fashion.
Resources:
1. Fashion Windows, http://www.fashionwindows.com/beauty/lacoste/default.asp
2. USTA, Tennis Magazine. March, 2008.
3. Wikipedia, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lacoste>
