Lacoste

Lacoste S.A.
	File:Lacoste logo.svg The green crocodile logo, inspired by René Lacoste's nickname "the Crocodile"
Company type	Private (subsidiary)
Industry	Fashion, sportswear
Founded	1933; 93 years ago
Founder	René Lacoste, André Gillier
Headquarters	Paris, France
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Michel Lacoste (former president), Pelagia Kolotouros (creative design director, 2023)
Products	Clothing, footwear, sportswear, eyewear, leather goods, perfume, towels, watches
Owner	Maus Frères (since November 2012)
Website	www.lacoste.com

Lacoste S.A. (; ) is a renowned French sports fashion label established in 1933 by tennis champion René Lacoste and businessman André Gillier. The company’s product range includes clothing, footwear, sportswear, eyewear, leather goods, perfume, towels, and watches. Its emblematic green Crocodile logo originates from René Lacoste’s nickname, "the Crocodile," a moniker he earned due to a wager involving a crocodile-skin suitcase and his fierce determination on the tennis court.

In November 2012, the Swiss family-owned entity Maus Frères acquired Lacoste.

History

In 1933, René Lacoste teamed up with André Gillier, the owner and president of France’s leading knitwear manufacturer, to establish La Chemise Lacoste. They introduced the revolutionary tennis shirt designed by Lacoste himself, distinguished by the crocodile emblem embroidered on the chest—recognized as one of the earliest examples of visible branding on apparel. From the 1950s until 1993, Lacoste licensed its clothing production in the United States to Izod, under the label Izod Lacoste. Afterward, Lacoste reclaimed exclusive distribution rights in the U.S. In 1977, Le Tigre Clothing emerged as a direct competitor in the American market, offering similar apparel but featuring a tiger logo.

French designer Christophe Lemaire was brought on board to revamp Lacoste’s brand identity. By 2005, the company had sold nearly 50 million items worldwide across more than 110 countries. The brand’s profile was further elevated through endorsements by tennis professionals such as Andy Roddick, John Isner, Richard Gasquet, and Olympic gold medalist Stanislas Wawrinka. Lacoste also expanded its presence in golf apparel, worn by champions including José María Olazábal and Colin Montgomerie.

In 2005, Bernard Lacoste stepped down from his role as president due to health issues and passed away in 2006; leadership was then assumed by his brother Michel.

Lacoste manages its trademark licensing internationally: Devanlay formerly held exclusive rights for clothing production; currently, shirts are also manufactured under license in Thailand (ICC) and China. The worldwide footwear license is overseen by Pentland Group, while fragrance rights were held by Coty Inc. until recently. Leather goods and bags are produced by CEMALAC.

The brand launched its U.S. online store in June 2007. Actor Hayden Christensen became the face of Lacoste’s men's Challenge fragrance in 2009. Following Christophe Lemaire’s departure in 2010, creative direction passed to Felipe Oliveira Baptista.

The René Lacoste Foundation promotes youth engagement in sports activities. In 2016, Lacoste inaugurated a flagship boutique on Budapest’s Fashion Street.

In 2017, tennis champion Novak Djokovic was appointed as a brand ambassador through a multi-year agreement that was extended across various campaigns. Two years later, Chinese singer and actor Z.Tao became the first Asia Pacific ambassador for Lacoste.

Between 2017 and 2019, Lacoste partnered with streetwear label Supreme to release collaborative collections.

In 2018, Louise Trotter took on the role of creative director but exited in January 2023 after serving four years.

Towards the end of 2022, Lacoste secured a new 15-year global licensing agreement with Interparfums, setting plans for a new fragrance launch in 2024 following the conclusion of its partnership with Coty.

In 2023, Pelagia Kolotouros was named creative design director. That same year, rising tennis talent Arthur Fils joined as a brand ambassador.

For 2024, actor Pierre Niney was appointed global brand ambassador alongside Chinese star Wang Yibo, who assumed the role of Global Ambassador. In June, Lacoste unveiled its latest fragrance offering, Lacoste Original.

Brand management

During the early 1950s, Bernard Lacoste collaborated with David Crystal, the proprietor of Izod, to launch the Izod Lacoste apparel line. This brand gained significant popularity among teenagers throughout the 1970s and 1980s. However, financial difficulties arose when Crystal Brands, Inc. accumulated debt from other business activities. Efforts to separate Izod and Lacoste in order to boost revenue proved unsuccessful, resulting in Crystal selling his stake in Lacoste back to the French owners, while Izod was transferred to Van Heusen.

Starting in 2000, under the guidance of designer Christophe Lemaire, Lacoste successfully reclaimed control over its brand identity and logo, reestablishing its prestigious reputation after experiencing a brand management downturn around the 1990s.

Lacoste was involved in a prolonged conflict over its crocodile emblem with Hong Kong-based Crocodile Garments. The dispute centered on Lacoste’s right-facing crocodile logo (registered in 1933) clashing with Crocodile Garments’ left-facing version (registered across Asia during the 1940s and 1950s). This contention concluded with Crocodile Garments modifying its logo to display more prominent scales, enlarged eyes, and a tail raised vertically.

Additionally, a separate legal confrontation lasting two decades took place with Singapore’s Crocodile International. In November 2023, the Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled that no trademark confusion existed between the two marks, siding with Crocodile International by emphasizing principles of free market competition and the absence of fraud or public deception.

Associations and Events

Professional Players

Retired Players

Golf

Retailers

Lacoste maintains an extensive network of boutiques globally, including both dedicated standalone stores and concessions within prominent department stores. In the United Kingdom, customers can find Lacoste merchandise at outlets like JD Sports, KJ Beckett, and John Lewis & Partners. Across the United States, the brand is retailed through locations such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, and Macy's, as well as various independent shops. In Canada, Lacoste products are available at retailers including Harry Rosen, the department store chain Hudson's Bay, their own branded boutiques, and other independent sellers. Meanwhile, in Australia, consumers can purchase Lacoste items at department stores such as David Jones and Myer.

Partnerships

In March 2022, Lacoste collaborated with Mojang Studios to introduce the Lacoste x Minecraft clothing collection. This line showcases crocodile logos rendered in pixel art on items such as polos, hoodies, and T-shirts, aiming to appeal to a younger audience familiar with gaming culture.

Environmental practices

In July 2011, Greenpeace included Lacoste in its Dirty Laundry report alongside prominent sportswear companies like Nike and Adidas. The report highlighted pollution concerns caused by Lacoste’s suppliers in China affecting the Yangtze and Pearl Rivers. Investigations detected harmful substances, including alkylphenols and perfluorinated compounds, at manufacturing sites connected to Lacoste’s supply chain, raising environmental compliance issues.

Censorship of Palestinian art

Lacoste was accused in December 2011 of censoring Palestinian artist Larissa Sansour. Sansour had been shortlisted for the Lacoste Élysée prize, an award sponsored by Lacoste and organised by the Musée de l'Élysée in Lausanne, Switzerland. Her submission, Nation Estate, depicted a dystopian sci-fi vision where Palestine exists within a skyscraper, with each floor representing "lost cities" such as Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Bethlehem.

Approximately one month prior to the jury’s final decision, the Musée de l'Élysée informed Sansour that Lacoste had withdrawn her nomination, citing that her work was "too pro-Palestinian." Following public disclosure of this action by Sansour, the museum expressed support for her and announced it would suspend its collaboration with Lacoste amid the dispute, reaffirming its dedication to artistic freedom cultivated over 25 years.

This episode attracted widespread international criticism and ignited discussions about the influence of private companies in art sponsorship.

Xinjiang region

In March 2020, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute identified at least 82 major brands linked to forced Uyghur labor in Xinjiang, including Lacoste. By July of that year, Lacoste committed to ceasing all operations with suppliers and subcontractors based in the region.

Russian invasion of Ukraine

Following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Lacoste has been criticized for continuing business activities within Russia. Advocacy organizations contend that maintaining operations there could support the Russian economy and potentially weaken international sanctions designed to pressure the Kremlin into ending its military actions.

External links