Lacoste is a fashion retail brand mostly known for its iconic crocodile logo. This logo is famous in the sportswear industry and is associated with polo shirts. However, that’s not all Lacoste is about. The brand has an interesting backstory and a renowned founder. There’s far more to the Lacoste brand than the accessories and clothing it sells. We’ve learned some interesting facts about Lacoste History and the making of the shirt we’ll like to share. Therefore, in this review, we’ll talk about the history of Lacoste and things you don’t know about the Lacoste shirt. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

Lacoste History

Rene Lacoste and Andre Gillier, a French textile magnate, started Lacoste in 1933. In the early 20s, Lacoste drew inspiration from the polo shirt and created his tennis shirt. However, this shirt came without the typical long sleeves and buttons. Instead, Lacoste used pique material for the development of his shirt. This was because the tennis sweater was way too hot most time for comfort. 

Most people called Lacoste’ The Crocodile.’ Therefore, it wasn’t a surprise when he decided to go with the Crocodile when designing his logo. The Crocodile was a strange nickname, and many stories exist about why people used to call him that name. Before World War II, Lacoste mostly sold his polo shirts and tennis shirts to fans and other people in the tennis world. However, in 1951, Lacoste changed the pattern of his shirt and came up with more colors that would appeal to a broader audience. At this point in Lacoste history, the polo shirt was competing with a regular sports shirt as an item in a man’s wardrobe.

After a year, Lacoste began cooperating with Izod so it could expand into the US in 1952. Unfortunately, the collaboration only lasted for a year. However, the two brands are still closely related even though Izod focuses more on mid-low markets. During the partnership, famous people like Eisenhower began to wear polo shirts while playing golf.

Licensing deals were quite popular in the 80s, and Lacoste purchased licensing deals to expand into the fragrance industry, leather goods, and many other sports markets. However, the company faced stiff competition in the 1980s and lowered its prices to keep up with it. Unfortunately, this solution was only effective for a short while because it made Lacoste look like a cheap brand that it wasn’t.

Lacoste Today

It wasn’t till early 2000, with the entrance of new leadership, that the perception of luxury returned to Lacoste’s polo shirts. It reflected the rich Lacoste history and brought several celebrity endorsements with it. Today, Lacoste is a significant player in the shirt market with a value of over 2 billion dollars. Although Lacoste now offers several more products, their polo shirt is always front and center. Most of their polos, based on Lacoste history, feature pique knit. However, it also offers jersey knits and a t-shirt style material which are almost 100% cotton. 

Why is Lacoste Expensive?

The brand has been famous for its pricey clothes, shoes, and accessories throughout Lacoste history. However, many people continually wonder if there are enough reasons for the brand to be expensive. So is there more to Lacoste history that we don’t know? Let’s find out in this section.

Power Behind the Logo

The Lacoste logo is quite popular and remains the brand’s consistent image throughout Lacoste history. It exudes luxury when you own a product with the Lacoste crocodile logo. A typical Lacoste customer is willing to pay more for a Lacoste product rather than purchase from another brand. The Lacoste brand is well aware that it can charge more money since buyers are willing to make purchases irrespective of the price. In addition, Lacoste products provide a sense of exclusivity and status. Although the brand isn’t as expensive or luxurious as Gucci and Louis Vuitton, it provides more status than mass-market labels like Gap, Banana Republic, or Zara. With luxury brands like Lacoste, the perception of wealth, quality, and exclusivity that it offers is why it is more expensive than other brands.

Lacoste Polos are Popular

Another reason why Lacoste polos are more expensive than most is their worldwide recognition. Few people worldwide won’t recognize a Lacoste polo shirt when they see them. The surge of popularity the brand enjoyed provided them with a recognition that made everyone want to own a Lacoste polo shirt. Therefore, people ignored the price tag in favor of owning one of the polo shirts offered by the brand. Lacoste polos come in various colors and provide a smart casual style that takes your wardrobe to the next level. This is one of the reasons why Lacoste has a broad audience. 

The Brand Supports Elite Sports

Lacoste started out making tennis shirts which is a sport associated with elites. The beginning of Lacoste history was when Rene Lacoste significantly changed the dress code of tennis players. Players usually wore polo sweaters or ties when playing; these outfits were generally restrictive. Therefore, Lacoste, who won 10 grand slam tennis tournaments in the 1920s, decided to make a shirt that supported more movement and provided comfort. However, it wasn’t till the later years of Lacoste history that the brand expanded to different markets. The brand is also famous for sponsoring some of the best tennis players in the game’s history, like Novak Djokovic, Stannis Wawrinka, etc. In addition, Lacoste once sponsored one of the four grand slams in tennis. This makes it a leading selection for most people in the tennis industry and their fans.

Additionally, Lacoste is closely associated with golf, another elitist sport. The game signed some of the best golfers as ambassadors of the brand to ensure the French brand heritage in the sport. People, therefore, buy Lacoste polo shirts to provide a connection with their sports idols who also wear Lacoste.

Lacoste Uses Top-Quality Raw Materials

One of the top reasons why Lacoste is expensive is because of the durability of its products. Throughout Lacoste history, the brand used cotton, which is quite common for fashion items. However, Lacoste pays careful attention to details and uses quality stitches to make their products strong and more durable than options. As a result, when you purchase a Lacoste shirt, it will last you many years of use. Therefore, you’re paying for quality when you purchase Lacoste shirts, and that’s why the brand requires you to pay more. 

Lacoste Owns a Loyal Customer Base

One of the ways Lacoste can retain its high pricing structure is through its loyal customer base. The brand’s pricing has changed throughout Lacoste’s history, but its consumers tend to stick to the brand. This is because of the quality and exclusivity that the brand offers. An example of the brand’s exclusivity is through its ten limited-edition polo shirts that feature the legendary crocodile logo. This limited collection sold out in less than a day. Again, this shows the level of customer loyalty to the brand.

Lacoste Polo Shirts and Their Features

Polo has a vast range of polo shirts, especially in the casual wear section. Their collections are pretty extensive, and they offer different patterns as well, like animal print, standard, diagonals, and many more types of patterns. However, few know what the polo shirt has to offer you. In this section, we’ll be exploring Polo shirts and their unique features; let’s begin.

Lacoste Polo Material and Quality

There are different varieties of polo shirts. However, the material and quality of each of these shirts are consistent throughout Lacoste history. Lacoste uses the most resistant and flexible type of cotton on the market. Lacoste shirts feature Pima cotton, which is extra long. In addition, some of the brand’s polo shirts use pique cotton, which is a part of Lacoste history. This is a knitted fabric that features a waffle-type structure. However, it is not woven, making it more flexible and stretchy for tennis and golf players. 

Lacoste also uses a two-needle knitting approach that allows them to get the quality they’re looking for. The long-staple cotton allows the polo to stay together for quite a long time, ensuring durability. Lacoste polo shirts are breathable, lightweight, and soft. Their t-shirt is the most flexible option in their collection. It is closely followed by the pique material, with the jersey polo coming in last. Lacoste emphasizes their commitment to using the same cotton for an entire batch. 

Lacoste Polo Color Range

When it comes to colors, Lacoste doesn’t disappoint. You can find more than 40 colors throughout Lacoste history in their polo collection. Lacoste also ensures that the colors stay intact throughout its use with a light testing method. Its collection has several bold colors, like orange, green, and many more. There are also subtle tones available in the Lacoste collection, like a subtle yellow, green, brown, or beige color. Overall, Lacoste efficiently nails the colors in their collections and constantly switches things up to continue attracting customers.

The Crocodile Logo Detail and Construction of the Lacoste Polo Shirts

When it comes to the logo, it’s pretty consistent across all Lacoste products. The logo has over 1200 machine-made stitches. The crocodile logo is how most people recognize Lacoste products throughout Lacoste history. The logo is green and features a white edge and red tongue. In Lacoste polo shirts, the logo is usually 1 and ⅛ inches wide and also ⅝ tall. 

In terms of construction, the stitch density of the Lacoste polo is 12 stitches an inch. The t-shirt fabric is hemmed flat like a regular t-shirt and features a deep upside-down v-cut. Other Lacoste polo shirts come in various shapes of inverted V, with some appearing pointy, long, short, and rounder. Additionally, the collars on each of the shirts come from ribbed cotton. One consistent feature throughout Lacoste history of making polo shirts is the two buttons and buttonholes. These buttonholes are usually cut horizontally irrespective of their position. The polos come in a classic fit, a slim, regular fit, and a slimmer slim fit. 

Final Thoughts

Lacoste has been in business for quite a while. Its founder is a champion tennis player looking for a solution to the lack of proper tennis clothes. However, the brand has grown from its humble beginnings to become one of the most popular fashion brands in the industry. In this article, you’ll learn about Lacoste history and get answers to why Lacoste is expensive. Additionally, if you’ve been wondering how Lacoste can provide top-quality t-shirts, we also explore the features and construction process of the Lacoste polo shirts. We hope this article provided insight into many things you didn’t know about Lacoste history.