In 1927, Rene Lacoste, the No.1 tennis player in the world at that time, created for his own personal comfort, a batch of cotton t-shirts in a comfortable aired mesh, in order to give relief from the intense heat of American tennis courts. This was the inception of the Lacoste ‘Polo’ which offers understated style and comfort and has become synonymous with sophisticated, casual chic. The motive behind this invention was simple-to obtain greater freedom of movement and more comfort during matches.

Rene’s amazing tenacity on the tennis court gave birth to his nickname ‘crocodile’ amongst his friends, which was soon picked up by the media and his fans. When the time came to select an emblem for the Lacoste brand, the crocodile was the natural choice. The symbolism was evocative: patient and powerful, the crocodile is a faithful representation of a brand which focuses on longevity, a consistent style and an uncompromising commitment to quality.

The crocodile logo symbolized the effortless elegance of the champion, René Lacoste and this continues to be the core inspiration behind each style the brand creates today.  Borrowing from the inspiring journeys of talent within the family, his wife Simone Lacoste and their daughter Catherine Lacoste, lead to creation of other categories that make Lacoste a leisure wear brand with its sporting roots intact.