A lost bet on a crocodile suitcase birthed a global fashion empire
In short: In 1923, a tennis prodigy named René Lacoste made an unusual wager with his team captain: a crocodile-skinned suitcase if he won his next match. He lost the bet, but the nickname stuck. By 1933, that crocodile became the first logo ever embroidered onto a piece of sports clothing.
The brand's origins are rooted in the ferocious on-court determination of René Lacoste. After an American journalist dubbed him 'the Crocodile' in 1923, the tennis star embraced the moniker. In 1927, his friend, stylist Robert George, sketched the reptile that would eventually define the brand. Lacoste co-founded the company in 1933 alongside André Gillier, then the president of France's largest knitwear manufacturer, to produce the revolutionary polo shirt Lacoste had designed for the court.
For decades, the brand navigated complex licensing and ownership shifts. In the U.S. market, the 'Izod Lacoste' partnership dominated from the 1950s until 1993, when Lacoste reclaimed its rights. The company faced significant legal challenges over its logo, including a long-standing dispute with Hong Kong-based Crocodile Garments and a 20-year battle with Singapore’s Crocodile International, which concluded in 2023 when the Supreme Court of the Philippines ruled that the trademarks were not confusingly similar.
Under the leadership of CEO Thierry Guibert, the company has recently moved to regain control of its brand image by shifting its distribution model toward retail stores and buying back various licenses. This strategic pivot aims to centralize operations, though the brand has historically faced scrutiny for its environmental impact, its involvement in art sponsorship controversies, and its supply chain ethics, including accusations regarding forced labor in Xinjiang and its continued operations in Russia following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Today, Lacoste remains a global entity, fully acquired in 2012 by the Swiss family-held group Maus Frères for 1 billion euros. From its early days as a niche tennis apparel provider, it has expanded into a diverse lifestyle brand encompassing footwear, perfume, and leather goods, while continuing to leverage high-profile brand ambassadors to maintain its visibility in the modern fashion landscape.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Lacoste
- Also: Wikidata — Lacoste · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Lacoste · CC0
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