
Lacoste
Lacoste, sport and jersey
Top tennis player Rene Lacoste wowed the crowds in the 1920s. After winning Wimbledon in 1925, Lacoste was part of the team to win the Davis Cup away from the US for the first time in 1927, doing it again in 1928. Lacoste, known as the Alligator, also won three French Open titles, and was victorious at the US Open in 1926 and 1927.
At the time, tennis players played in uncomfortable starched shirts which chafed the skin and impeded good tennis playing. Lacoste, an inventor at heart, took the task in hand and turned his eye to Jersey, a new fabric. The result was the form the world has come to know as Lacoste polo shirts. Lacoste polo shirts: ‘The Alligator’ roars.
The alligator logo that is instantly recognisable as the brand that defines quality polo shirts has an interesting history. In his tennis days, Lacoste made a bet with a teammate concerning an alligator-skin suitcase and a match win. Lacoste won the match and the bet, and the press took the nickname 'Alligator' from the tale.
The player had affection for the name himself, and had small alligators embroidered on the shirts he designed to play in. The distinctive alligator logo for Lacoste polo shirts was born.
The beginnings of a snappy designer
It was in 1933 that Lacoste met with Andre Gillier, owner of France's biggest knitwear firm, to make the Lacoste polo shirts that the world would soon come to love. Gillier agreed to manufacture the Lacoste clothing design, complete with the alligator logo that was already a feature on Lacoste's own polo shirts.
The Lacoste polo shirts that were distributed after this agreement were revolutionary in more than one way. Until then, sports clothing had gone unbranded. The snappy little alligator that featured on the front of Lacoste clothing was something new, and the world loved it. Lacoste clothing soon began to produce shirts for golf and sailing, as well as tennis.
Design based on sports knowledge
The Lacoste polo shirt was revolutionary down to its very fabric. Until Lacoste clothing addressed the issue, tennis shirts were long-sleeved, starched affairs which heavily restricted movement. Lacoste came up with the idea of using the light, knitted fabric of Jersey petit pique, which not only promoted more movement but allowed for the skin to breathe during play. Lacoste polo shirts had shorter sleeves, and a ribbed collar that completed the most comfortable shirt in tennis history.
Satisfied with these truly revolutionary leaps, Lacoste no doubt made tennis snobs happy by remaining satisfied with white as a colour. The palette of colours which set off the stylish, slim-fit Lacoste polo shirts today were much further down the track for the design house.
Match point for modern design
Christophe Lemaire, a French designer who has been working to infuse the brand with modern ideas, has made the brand again a must for any sports-minded male. Here at Tessuti we're happy to provide our customers with access to the shirts that tennis stars like Andy Roddick, Stanislas Wawrinka and Richard Gasquet sample. Lacoste clothing suits any sport, and the slim fit of modern Lacoste designs dress up a casual day.
-
Lacoste Stripey Polo Shirt - Navy
Regular Price: £89.95
Special Price: £76.46
-
Lacoste Basic Polo Shirt - Oatmeal
Regular Price: £79.95
Special Price: £67.96
-
Lacoste Regular Fit Short Sleeve Shirt - White
Regular Price: £85.00
Special Price: £72.25
-
Lacoste Bomber Jacket - Blue
Regular Price: £145.00
Special Price: £123.25
-
Lacoste Hooded Coat - Red
Regular Price: £249.00
Special Price: £211.65
-
Lacoste Basic Polo Shirt - Navy
Regular Price: £79.95
Special Price: £67.96
-
Lacoste Slim Fit Polo Shirt - Royal
Regular Price: £79.95
Special Price: £67.96
-
Lacoste L!ve Basic Polo Shirt - Purple
Regular Price: £75.00
Special Price: £63.75
-
Lacoste Cap - Navy
Regular Price: £29.95
Special Price: £25.46
-
Lacoste Bucket Hat - Navy
Regular Price: £55.00
Special Price: £46.75
-
Lacoste L!ve Polo Shirt - Red
Regular Price: £99.95
Special Price: £84.96
-
Lacoste L!ve Slim Fit Crew Neck T-Shirt - Sky
Regular Price: £39.95
Special Price: £33.96
-
Lacoste Basic Polo Shirt - Black
Regular Price: £79.95
Special Price: £67.96
-
Lacoste Slim Fit Polo Shirt - Yellow
Regular Price: £79.95
Special Price: £67.96
-
Lacoste Cap - Black
Regular Price: £29.95
Special Price: £25.46
-
Lacoste Regular Fit Short Sleeve Shirt - Blue
Regular Price: £85.00
Special Price: £72.25
-
Lacoste L!ve Crew Neck T-Shirt - Blue
Regular Price: £45.00
Special Price: £38.25
-
Lacoste L!ve Polo Shirt - White
Regular Price: £99.95
Special Price: £84.96
-
Lacoste Contrasting Polo Shirt - Sky
Regular Price: £89.95
Special Price: £76.46
-
Lacoste Basic Polo Shirt - Purple
Regular Price: £79.95
Special Price: £67.96
-
Lacoste Stripey Polo Shirt - Blue
Regular Price: £89.95
Special Price: £76.46
-
Lacoste L!ve Hooded Kagoule - Navy
Regular Price: £165.00
Special Price: £140.25
-
Lacoste Cap - Sand
Regular Price: £29.95
Special Price: £25.46
-
Lacoste L!ve Short Sleeve Shirt - Multi
Regular Price: £89.95
Special Price: £76.46

