How 'Lacoste' Worn by Athletes Became a Synonym for Everyday Wear [Hidden Industry Story]

Ren? Lacoste First Wore the Crocodile Logo in 1927 Match
Symbol of Brand Value
Attempts to Diversify Products Beyond Polo Shirts... Selling 2 Units per Second

Lacoste polo shirt.
Photo by Lacoste official website capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Polo shirts, characterized by a collar and an open front design with 2 to 3 buttons aligned, have become everyday wear for modern people. This is because many people seek them out during summer due to their durable and breathable fabric. Among polo shirts, there is a classic brand that cannot be overlooked. It is the French casual clothing brand 'Lacoste.' Lacoste, known for its clean fashion featuring the crocodile logo, is loved by everyone regardless of age or gender. What exactly is the secret behind Lacoste’s global craze that transcended France with just one shirt?

◆ The Emergence of Polo Shirts Inspired by Tennis Uniforms...The Birth of Lacoste

The polo shirt, now a staple of modern daily wear, actually originated from the sport of tennis. In the early 1900s, tennis whites were stiff, long-sleeved shirts. Because of this, players wore clothes that were almost like formal suits even during highly active matches.

As competition intensified, players began seeking ways to gain an advantage. Among them, French player Jean Ren? Lacoste designed attire suited to his playing style.

As a star player at the time, he created a shirt made from knitted fabric, which was breathable and elastic. Additionally, the collar was soft, making it very suitable as sportswear.

When Ren? Lacoste first wore this shirt in a 1927 match, it caused a great sensation and gained tremendous popularity. Athletes in other sports also took notice and replaced traditional uniforms with Lacoste’s tennis shirt.

Later, in 1933, he partnered with Andr? Gillier, a titan in the French knitwear industry, to launch the Lacoste brand. Since then, Lacoste has maintained its legacy for over 80 years.

French premium casual brand Lacoste has launched the 'Lacoste Inside' campaign in collaboration with fashion magazine Dazed to highlight the 'polo shirt,' a brand item with over 85 years of history. The photo shows the exterior of the Lacoste Polo pop-up store located in Seongsu-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of May 2 last year. Photo by Yonhap News

◆ Why a Crocodile?...Becoming the Brand Logo

The famous crocodile logo of the Lacoste brand originated from a nickname Ren? Lacoste earned after a bet involving a crocodile leather bag during the Davis Cup as captain of the French team.

At that time, the French team captain promised to gift Lacoste a crocodile leather bag if he won an important match for the French team.

An American journalist who heard this story gave Lacoste the nickname "crocodile," which became his moniker. The public also felt it suited him well, as he was known for never giving up in matches and tenaciously biting down on his opponents.

After the nickname was given, Lacoste’s friend, illustrator Robert George, embroidered a crocodile image on the blazer Lacoste wore on the court. The Lacoste logo, born this way, has remained a symbol elevating the brand’s value for about 90 years since its founding.

Jean Ren? Lacoste's match appearance. / Photo by Lacoste Official Website Capture

◆ Lacoste’s Explosive Popularity Since the 1940s...Favored by Celebrities

Originally, this shirt was not for sale, but after Ren? Lacoste wore it and it gained popularity, Andr? Gillier joined as a partner and mass production began.

Made from breathable fabric and featuring a neat collar, this shirt became explosively popular not only as tennis wear but also as everyday clothing. The colors gradually diversified as well. This helped establish this style as the basic form of the polo shirt.

Notably, polo shirts, which were mainly worn during leisure activities, were branded by Lacoste, allowing the general public to enjoy wearing them as daily wear.

Since the 1940s, people began wearing Lacoste shirts regardless of whether they played tennis or polo, due to the upper-class image associated with these sports. Furthermore, in 1953, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower popularized the shirt by wearing it for golf.

Lacoste introduced polo shirts in various colors in 1951 and began exporting to the U.S. in 1952. In 1961, it patented the collar design that protects the neck during tennis play. In 1966, it designed the uniform for the French national ski team.

In 1969, Lacoste launched the polo dress, which could be worn like a cardigan or dress. Meanwhile, the brand diversified its product lines beyond clothing, introducing tennis shoes in 1958 and perfume in 1968.

Later, in 1972, Ralph Lauren established a new casual wear company called 'Polo,' making polo shirts its main product, which further boosted their popularity.

Additionally, Ren? Lacoste’s son, Bernard Lacoste, took over management and developed the brand into the early 2000s.

Lacoste's classic pique polo shirt. Currently produced in about 50 different colors.
/Photo by Lacoste Official Website Capture

◆ Commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility...Strictness Regarding Products

Currently, Lacoste has diversified its products beyond polo shirts, solidifying its position as a clothing brand. Lacoste products?including apparel, perfume, leather goods, eyewear, shoes, watches, house linens, and underwear?are sold at a rate of two items per second. Reflecting this, Lacoste achieved sales of 2 billion euros (approximately 2.8 trillion KRW) in 2017. It operates about 1,200 stores in 120 countries, leading the sports casual fashion industry.

Moreover, Lacoste has not neglected product quality. To ensure recognized quality collections, it maintains production sites worldwide. All Lacoste clothing is made in selected factories globally to meet high standards for quality as well as social and environmental requirements.

Lacoste possesses advanced expertise in selecting fibers used in manufacturing. All fibers, especially the cotton used in Lacoste shirts, boast quality above standard. The brand also adheres to the principle of sustainable development.

For this reason, Lacoste strives to use cotton not produced in places that threaten human rights. It supports the Responsible Sourcing Network and the Campaign Cotton Pledge, which oppose forced labor and child labor in cotton fields.

Based on Ren? Lacoste’s motto, "The most important thing is always to play fair," the company upholds corporate ethics and codes of conduct.

Novak Djokovic.
Photo by Lacoste

Since the 1980s, Lacoste has mainly appointed tennis and golf players as brand ambassadors to promote the brand. Recently, it released a collection worn by Novak Djokovic, the world No. 1 ranked player, at the US Open. Novak Djokovic, ranked No. 1 in the ATP men’s tennis world rankings, is a superstar known as part of the tennis 'Big 3' alongside Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

At the US Open, the last major tournament of the season held in New York last August, Djokovic attracted attention by wearing a blue uniform with striped prints.