Rene Lacoste, the sportsman, the inventor of many non-fashion innovations including the steel tennis racket and damper
From Paris to the world over: Lacoste kicks off its 90th anniversary—90 years of the iconic Crocodile, 90 years defining French fashion sport, and 90 years of movement born on the tennis court, growing from sport to street.
But this is not just another retrospective. The Crocodile marks its birthday with unique energy, living the present and celebrating the people moving the brand’s heartbeat across the globe today.
Founded by the original Crocodile himself (as he was considered in the tennis court, for the way he faced opponents), René Lacoste, the brand has seen its values of French elegance, movement, savoir-faire, creativity, and reinvention have transitioned seamlessly through every decade.
First loved by sports players, inspired by the free elegance of René’s own pro sporting family and charismatic friends, the iconic Crocodile spread through France, across tennis and golfing terrains, beyond the court. And with every new corner of the world touched by Lacoste, a unique cultural cross-pollination occurred, deeply influencing and being influenced by street culture, popping on to fashion’s runways, collaborating with musicians, artists and creators, tracing its way through the vintage retro scene, and being inscribed in pop culture.
The Crocodile is now a powerful identifying emblem for many—representing a living, connected heritage that never stops moving.
Nobody could have imagined the impact the brand would have on fashion and cultures so widely and diversely spread. And most importantly, the impact these communities would have on the brand. Lacoste’s communities continue to infuse the brand with this ebullient spirit, inventing and reinventing what the brand codes mean to them. They help move the Crocodile.
This year, Lacoste travels the world to celebrate eight of these compelling contemporary subcultures. Shaping the brand through their passion, individuality, and style, together they are the heart of Lacoste’s 90th anniversary celebrations. The Lacoste communities that the world will meet this year are Lacosteiros from São Paulo, Brazil; vintage fashion collectors from Tokyo, Japan; French rap lovers from Paris and its suburbs in France; amateur tennis players from New York City, USA; vintage Lacoste fans from Marseille, France; amateur golfers from Miami, USA; Roland Garros fans from Paris, France; and amateur and pro tennis players from Seoul, South Korea.
With such rich cultural inspiration, Lacoste was poised to create a meaningful, emotion-charged 90th anniversary campaign. But how would the brand spotlight the uniqueness of its communities, as stylistically different as they are geographically distanced? By taking its role as a cross-cultural connector to heart, creating a campaign of Impossible Encounters, made possible through the magic of style and cinema.
Nobody could have imagined the impact the brand would have on fashions and cultures so widely and diversely spread
The campaign bridges pairs of its eight subcultures—Heliopolis, Saõ Paulo to Shimokitazawa, Tokyo; Melreese Golf Club, Miami to Mini Golf du Prado, Marseille; Les Ardoines, Greater Paris to Harlem 125th St Station, New York City; Séoul to Roland Garros, Paris—each shot in their own meaningful locations and contexts, to highlight both their differences and their unexpected similarities—finding unique symmetry in their favorite meet-up spots, surprising parallels in clothing color palettes, and striking contrast between their minimalist/maximalist spirits. Through the power of Lacoste, each duo enters an unexpectedly witty fashion dialogue, when they appear to encounter and make eye contact with each other in a moment of mutual style appreciation. Their two worlds, brought together by split screen, complete each other. A set of unexpected kindred spirits are bonded through Lacoste.
This campaign continues to build upon the fresh, humorous, pop-cultural editorial language, established through Lacoste’s iconic ad series Unexpected Encounters, launched in 2022.
Its authenticity and nuance are in large part thanks to the collaboration with local cultural “curators” who ensure the representation of each culture. Curators include Lacosteiros expert Fernanda Souza (São Paulo) and street style specialist Motofumi “Poggy” Kogi (Tokyo).
Irish photographer Ronan Gallagher’s documentary approach, strong color, and fashion sensibility combine to inject colorful pop energy into each still shot. Having shot Lacoste’s iconic 2022 brand campaign, he continues to develop a unique visual language for the ever-evolving brand.
London-based director and youth culture lover Yoni Lappin infuses wit into the short ad films, bringing together encounters with spontaneous authenticity.
French digital director Chris Saulnier’s talents bring unbridled dynamism to a profoundly anthropological project, bringing together community interviews, behind-the-scenes moments and playful style explorations.
The campaign is co-imagined by Lacoste and French creative agency BETC.
Throughout the year, Lacoste will open an innovative pop-up in each subculture’s local area. Pop-up themes include vintage stores, flea markets, tennis playgrounds, live concerts, and exhibitions. The objective is to create value for each community, giving them the chance to enter a more intimate brand conversation and collaborate in an open format, connecting through their own unique cultural touch points and passions. Each pop-up will also offer limited edition products with relevance to each community, including polo re-editions which will get Lacosteiros hearts racing in Sao Paulo, a tennis-inspired capsule for fans of Roland Garros, and a vintage, Made in Japan selection from curator Poggy, in Tokyo.
René did it first, the Lacoste’s founder, a celebrated pro tennis player, and prolific inventor. Born in Paris in 1904, he was immersed in sport from an early age, inspired by his father, a rowing enthusiast.
René did it first, the Lacoste’s founder, a celebrated pro tennis player, and prolific inventor
But René’s passion was tennis. He excelled, winning his first tournament aged 17, in 1921. He was spotted by tennis champion Suzanne Lenglen, who became a close friend and mentor on the court, guiding him to move with spontaneity and unique strength.
In 1926, inspired by polo players in London, René began to wear the short-sleeved shirt on the court, giving him even greater freedom of movement, and giving birth to the concept of functional elegance. In 1933, he met the industrialist André Gillier. Together they conceived the Lacoste L.12.12 polo shirt, a revolutionary piece of design. L for Lacoste, 1 for the unique fabric: cotton petit piqué, 2 for the short-sleeved version, 12 for the number of the version finally selected by René Lacoste. Made of a new breathable fabric, petit piqué jersey, featuring the crocodile logo, the shirt was flexible and lightweight. Against the advice of his friends, he decided to embroider his famous signature Crocodile on it. The first polo was created.
René’s inventive spirit also gave birth to most important non-fashion innovations: ball machine, steel racket, damper
René’s inventive spirit also gave birth to some of the sporting world’s most important non-fashion innovations. In 1928, he invented the tennis ball machine to improve his technique. The machine went on to train generations of players. In 1963, he revolutionized the tennis world with the invention of the steel tennis racket. The invention provided superior aerodynamics and paved the way for the modern tennis racket. In 1971 he invented the damper, a new vibration absorption device located in the racket handle.
In 1923, in Boston, before a tennis match, Lacoste noticed an elegant crocodile skin suitcase in a shop window. His coach promised to give it to him if he won. He lost. But hearing of the bet and René’s unique tenacity on the court, a journalist nicknamed him the “Crocodile.”
In 1926, inspired by his nickname, Lacoste asked his friend Robert George to design a crocodile. The now famous logo made its first appearance embroidered on René’s blazer. The legend grows.
René’s tight-knit group of family and charismatic friends were Lacoste’s first community. His wife, Simone Thion de La Chaume, an international golf champion, shared René’s passionate sporting spirit and passed it on to their daughter Catherine, who became one of the greatest golf champions of the 1960s and 1970s.
René’s tight-knit group of family and charismatic friends were Lacoste’s first community
In Chantaco, the golf club created by Simone’s father, the Lacoste family supported young players, encouraging them to follow their dream of becoming champions, no matter their origins and social categories. Lacoste keeps the value of youth commitment alive to this day, through programs including Durable Elegance and Foundation Lacoste, actively supporting equal opportunity through the power of sport.
Lacoste (leftmost) at Chantaco, the golf club created by his wife Simone’s father
Between rigor and coolness, freedom and elegance, precision and expression, Lacoste stands for fashion sport and French savoir-faire. Proudly made in France, where Lacoste’s unique weaving and knitting technique was born, the brand continues to refine and innovate its sourcing and fabrication processes, looking towards a more sustainable future, for people and the planet.
Lacoste has reshaped the contemporary fashion landscape, through the vision of iconic artistic directors including Christophe Lemaire, Felipe Oliveira Baptisa, and Louise Trotter. Today, creative design director, Pelagia Kolotouros, leads the collective studio taking Lacoste into its next chapter.
In the Philippines, Lacoste is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc., and is also located at Central Square in Bonifacio High Street Central, Alabang Town Center, City of Dreams, Eastwood Mall, Estancia in Capitol Commons, Fairview Terraces, Gateway Mall, Greenbelt 5, Newport Mall, Podium, Power Plant Mall, Robinson’s Galleria, Robinson’s Magnolia, Robinson’s Place Manila, Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Shangri-La, Shangri-La Plaza East Wing, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, Solaire, Trinoma, UP Town Center, Waterfront Cebu, Ayala Center Cebu, Abreeza Davao, SM Davao, Veranza KCC Mall General Santos, and Zamboanga. Lacoste Accessories is located at Glorietta 4; Lacoste Sport at Ayala Center Cebu; and Lacoste Footwear at Alabang Town Center. Visit lacoste.com.ph and www.ssilife.com.ph, follow facebook.com/LacostePhilippines, or visit @ssilifeph on Instagram for more information.
