Lacoste

René Lacoste’s story was written by challenging tradition. In Boston in 1923, his captain promised to buy him a crocodile leather suitcase he had been admiring in a shop window if he won his next match. René lost, but in tribute to his tenacity on the court and in reference to this unusual bet, the American press christened him “the crocodile.” The nickname was quickly adopted throughout the tennis world. In 1933, he brought a revolution to the courts in the form of a flexible, lightweight polo shirt in “petit piqué” cotton, flying in the face of the regular shirts imposed on tennis players. In 1933, he founded Lacoste with André Gillier, which became the first brand to feature a logo on its clothing.

During the 1950s, Lacoste clothing began to be exported across the world. With the development of a children’s line, this period heralded a change: the birth of a transgenerational icon. Beyond its products, Lacoste is also defined by a sporting spirit that continues to guide the brand’s choices today in both its collections and commitments to society and sustainability.