Lacoste Footwear

Lacoste - History of the Fashion Brand
The history of the brand name of Lacoste actually has foundation in the game of tennis. The brand was founded by René Lacoste, one of the legendary French tennis players in the circuit.
In the year 1927, he and his teammates, who were dubbed as The Musketeers, took the Davis Cup away from the American tennis players for the first time. It was during that tournament when Lacoste made a legendary bet with the Captain of their team.
The captain of the team agreed to buy Lacoste a suitcase that was made of alligator skin if he could win a very important tennis match for the French team. And when he won that important match, he was then dubbed as the Alligator by the media and the press from America. His friend, Robert George, drew a tiny picture of an alligator, which was then embroidered on the blazer that he wore on the tennis courts. This then became the foundation of the huge Lacoste empire in today's fashion industry.
In 1933, both he and André Gillier, who was the owner of the biggest firm manufacturing French knitwear got together and decided to set up their own company. The main product both had in mind was the alligator-embroidered shirt that Lacoste wore during that winning match. By this time, he had already designed a lot of tennis shirts for his personal use, and both wanted to make a profit out of the concept.
The first catalogue was then released, containing shirts for all sports, including golf, sailing, and tennis. The first collection was also released in that same year.
Since then, the shirt has brought a lot of changes in men's sportswear, replacing the woven fabric of classic sports shirts. Over the years, the brand has certainly improved a lot in terms of quality, stability, and comfort.
Aside from sportswear, Lacoste has also expanded their product line, and has started producing their own scents and fragrances. These include Booster Cologne, Cool Play Cologne, Lacoste Elegance Cologne, Lacoste Hot Play Cologne, Lacoste Junior Cologne, Lacoste Pour Homme Cologne, and so many more fragrances.
Aside from fragrances, the brand has also expanded into footwear, such as socks and shoes. All the same, these products come with the superb quality offered by the shirts and sportswear that have been in the market for decades now. The brand itself is also preferred by many tennis players, including American Andy Roddick, who is known for his smashes and fast serves.
About the Author
Neil Thompson is a fashion writer who specialises in men's gifts and accessories. He has a particular interest in socks, pens and wallets and brands such as Parker, Paul Smith and Ted Baker. Click here for more information on a range of lacoste accessories and pens.
Here are a few Lacoste Footwear listings you might enjoy:
Lacoste - the Alligator Brand
Lacoste is one of today’s most popular label of fashion items. It is known throughout the world as a French apparel company that designs and markets a wide line of high end fragrances, clothing, footwear, tennis shirts, watches, eyewear, and leather goods. What is most noted about Lacoste is its green crocodile logo, aside from its high quality products and accessories.
Lacoste was founded in 1933 by a French tennis player named Rene Lacoste. He first introduced his own creation to the public when he wore his very own shirt in the 1926 U.S. Open Championship. His design was described by most reports as a white shirt featuring short sleeves made of a knitted fabric which he calls as the “jersey petit pique”. He described his jersey design as the very first light version of performance sports clothing.
Rene Lacoste was named “The Alligator” by the American Press since 1927. The reason behind this naming was the bet made about the use of a suitcase made of alligator skin. Rene actually wore his self created jersey in the 1927 Davis Cup, but without any related name available in his native language, he was then named as “le crocodile” in French.
The new nickname suited him for one reason – Rene Lacoste showing his tenacious behavior while on the court. It was his friend, Robert Georges, who decided to create a logo for Rene, then drawing him a crocodile. That image was embroidered by Rene himself on one of his tennis blazers.
After retiring from the world of tennis, Rene established his fashion company in 1933 with the help of one of his successful friends, Andre Gillier. Gillier, at that time, was the president and owner of one of the France’s knitwear manufacturing companies. With their efforts, they started to create and distribute a line of tennis shirts that were revolutionary inspired. The crocodile logo is embroidered on the shirt’s chest, and this what considered by Rene Lacoste as the first model of his brand name. He also designed and manufactured shirts for the sailors and golfers, and it was in 1951 that he began producing colored sportswear.
In 1970, under the management of Rene’s son, Bernard Lacoste, the company started to produce a variety of other fashion items. Included in their lines are perfumes, sunglasses and eye glasses, shoes, watches, shorts, and leather-made items. All of which were able to establish a name in the fashion industry mainly for their high quality. The quality and style of these products were made even more stronger with the coming of Christophe Lemaire, a French designer who had been contributing his efforts and time in creating the best fashion lines of Lacoste. More than 50 million of Lacoste products were sold under his management, as reported.
Today, Michael Bernard’s brother and collaborator, manages Lacoste. The company has been licensing its trademark to a number of fashion and sports companies around the world, including the Pentland Brands and Samsonite. The main office is located in Paris, but they delegate their products internationally.
About the Author
Visit Perfume Center to see all Lacoste Perfumes. Continue reading about Lacoste fragrances.
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