Lacoste is rooted in tennis, but throughout its 85-year history, the brand has steadily relied on collaborations to court fans away from the court. In roughly the last decade, though, it has accelerated the pace as a go-to partner for retailers and designers aiming to release head-turning looks.
“Collaborations are very important to Lacoste because they help us reach a new, younger audience,” said Jöelle Grünberg, president and CEO of Lacoste North and Central America. “Partnering with different designers and brands positions Lacoste as a fashion-forward, relevant brand.”
With footwear, Lacoste has delivered must-have styles with the likes of toymaker Kidrobot, architect Zaha Hadid and sneaker shop Bait.
However, on-foot collaborations aren’t solely responsible for Lacoste’s love among the fashion-focused.
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“From the apparel side, we have recently had successful collaborations with a variety of brands, designers and artists, from our Peanuts collaboration in 2015, which was fun and playful and appealed to a wide audience, to our Supreme collaborations in 2017 and 2018, which had more of a streetwear influence,” Grünberg said. “Each collaboration brings something different to the table.”
With that in mind, here are eight of the most memorable Lacoste collabs.
Lacoste x Supreme
The latest drop with Supreme, which arrived last month, didn’t feature footwear. But the lineup — apparel and accessory selections including wool varsity jackets, velour tracksuits, fanny packs and polo shirts — further bolstered Lacoste’s reputation with streetwear enthusiasts.
Lacoste x Zaha Hadid
The late Iraq-born British architect created in 2009 Lacoste’s most atypical collaboration to date: a rubberized silhouette in a low cut for men and a calf-high look for women. “Zaha was one of the most interesting and unique projects we have ever done, adding the philosophy of architecture and interpreting that into a shoe,” Grange said. “The product looked so futuristic and dynamic, it really pushed shoemaking and allowed us to think differently on how we should approach this concept.”
Lacoste x Kidrobot
Lacoste is a preppy premium label, but that doesn’t mean it can’t have fun with its classics. The brand teamed with Kidrobot in 2007 to reimagine a trio of shoes, which all came with limited-edition toys. “Adding the toy with each sneaker gave it a different feel to many other collabs of the time,” said Dave Grange, SVP of footwear. “[And] it crossed over into a new market of collectable figures.”
Lacoste x Peanuts
Call it croc and the gang. Lacoste first collaborated with Charles M. Schulz’s iconic cartoon, “Peanuts,” in 2010 for the comic strip’s 60th birthday. Lacoste worked with the characters again five years later, resulting in Snoopy, Charlie Brown and others appearing on multiple apparel-based collections.
Lacoste x Addict
Using the Dash model, Lacoste and Florida-based Addict teamed up for a pair of tennis-themed looks in 2016 for the 30th anniversary of the retailer’s Miami door. “The ‘Miami Vice’ theme was our starting point, with electric color accents, vibrant materials and palm trees on the footbed,” Grange said. “For the second collab, we used a tennis vibe. The attention to detail on these sneakers was fantastic, particularly using the felt tennis ball material.”
Lacoste x Sneaker Freaker
When Lacoste collaborated with the Australian sneaker publication in 2006, its founder, Simon “Woody” Wood, employed a clean color aesthetic to a classic model. “This particular Missouri style gave us huge attention,” said Grange. “It used premium materials and the strong color combination of mint green and black. It has become a classic.”
Lacoste x Footpatrol
London-based retailer Footpatrol in 2015 delivered a footwear and apparel collection that bolstered Lacoste’s position in the streetwear market. The lineup boasted two sneaker looks, a gray and a black colorway, of the Half Court silhouette, available exclusively at Footpatrol.
Lacoste x Bait
In 2016, the French brand let the West Coast-based boutique reimagine the design of the Inca, a sailing shoe released 20 years earlier. Not content with just a new color or material makeup, the streetwear shop delivered a style with ties to boating, such as using premium oiled mambo leather, a nod to sailing oilskins, and used modern street-ready features such as a raised collar and reflective 3M hits.
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