Is Lacoste A Luxury Brand? All The Details You Need To Know
French clothing company Lacoste is known for its connection with tennis and its high-quality sports and casual clothing, but is Lacoste a true luxury brand?
The Lacoste brand is instantly recognizable thanks to its iconic crocodile logo that features on all of their products – beginning first with polo shirts that the brand is known for and expanding across the whole range of Lacoste items.
You may have often seen tennis players and golfers with the famous Lacoste logo; the brand is strongly associated with these sports because founder René Lacoste was a tennis player while his wife was a successful golfer.
Is Lacoste a luxury brand?
There are two sides to answering this question, both of which we’ll explore further in this article.
Firstly, Lacoste is a well-known brand with a long, rich history that is associated with luxurious products. As one of the favored brands of these sportsmen and women and its production of high-quality clothing, shoes, and leather goods, it definitely has a place in the upper echelon of preppy wear and sports attire.
However, the price range and different Lacoste products on offer may suggest that Lacoste is not a luxury brand, as luxury and high-end brands are often associated with higher price tags and more of a selection of items on offer.
To answer this question, we are going to take a look at the brand’s history, the quality of its products, and some top picks from Lacoste before coming to a conclusion on the question – is Lacoste truly a luxury brand?
The History of Lacoste
The fashion brand Lacoste was founded in 1933 by René Lacoste who brought his lightweight petit piqué cotton polo shirt to tennis courts all over the world. Before founding his designer brand, René was a fantastic tennis player, eventually becoming the best tennis player in the world between 1926 and 1927 after winning seven grand slam titles.
René Lacoste was known worldwide and he soon became known by an unusual nickname. Lacoste made a bet with his captain that if he won his next match, his captain would buy him a crocodile leather suitcase.
Lacoste happened to lose the match but in honor of the bet and Lacoste’s determination and hard work on the court, the American press named Lacoste ‘the Crocodile’, and the nickname quickly caught on all over the world.
René Lacoste loved the nickname and subsequently asked his stylist to sew a crocodile on the jackets he wore onto the court – this is the origin of the iconic crocodile logo.
In 1993, Lacoste joined forces with the owner of the largest French knitwear company, André Gillier to create the Lacoste brand and produce polo shirts that were perfectly suited to tennis. The Lacoste polo shirts were flexible and lightweight and thus much better suited to the movement involved in playing tennis. These were actually the first polo shirts made with a logo, produced even before Polo Ralph Lauren’s shirts.
In 1950, Lacoste clothing began to be sold worldwide, creating a brand led by sporting and its commitments to society that spanned across different generations.
The Lacoste brand continued to expand as the first Eau de Toilette was launched in 1968, a fragrance that was created in collaboration with the world-famous French perfumer and fashion designer Jean Patou. Still to this day, the Lacoste name is known for its delightful men’s and women’s perfumes.
10 years later in 1978, the first Lacoste eyewear collection was brought to the public. Then in 1981, leather goods were added to the collection. Initially, it was belts, luggage, and sports bags, often created in collaboration with French designers who specialized in leather products.
In 2005, the popularity of Lacoste surged as French fashion designer Christophe Lemaire refreshed the brand, creating a more modern look and increasing the contracts between Lacoste and tennis players. Andy Roddick, John Isner, and Stanislas Wawrinka all wore Lacoste tennis shirts on the court, promoting this historic French brand.
In 2010, Felipe Oliveira Baptista took over as creative director for Lacoste, continuing with the contemporary, sports aesthetic made to a very high standard. While 2017 saw Novak Djokovic become the brand ambassador, and Lacoste collaborate with popular streetwear brand Supreme – this collaboration continued through to 2019.
Now, Lacoste has boutiques all over the world and is stocked in Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdale’s in America, and JD Sports and John Lewis Partnership in the UK. It continues to produce casual wear and sportswear, leather goods, watches, footwear, and eyewear – something for everyone!
The Quality of Lacoste
To determine the quality of the Lacoste brand, there are lots of different aspects we need to take into account. We’ve taken a look at the price range of a variety of Lacoste products, the materials used and the craftsmanship to help answer the question – is Lacoste a luxury brand?
1. Price range
There are lots of different Lacoste items on offer but we have just taken a look at some of their most popular garments to gain an idea of the luxury status of Lacoste. Lacoste is best known for their polo shirts, and the women’s polos range between $90 and $189, which indicates the high level of quality of these Lacoste shirts.
Sweaters and sweatshirts have a price tag of between $98 and $295, depending on the materials used and the style of the sweater. Also, Lacoste collaborates often with other brands, and these items are usually sold for a higher price.
For the Lacoste shoe collection, the brand primarily offers sneakers, which can be sold for $80 for as high as $190, which is a pretty affordable price for a pair of high-quality sneakers.
Lacoste bags, whether that is sports bags or handbags, range between $88 and $358. Finally, Lacoste is known for its range of sporty and elegant watches; the price tags for these items are between $95 and $195, which is a relatively affordable price for a watch from a brand with such a rich history.
2. Materials and fabrics
The materials used in Lacoste products also give you an idea of the quality of Lacoste and whether it should be considered a luxury brand.
For the clothing, Lacoste uses primarily cotton and wool, which are sometimes then blended with polyester, rayon, and polyamide to create durable clothing which does not shrink after going through the washing machine and can withstand the movement involved in playing sports.
These materials are pretty common and the sort you would expect from a high-end clothing brand – but there are no silks, linens, or satins that you may expect from a luxury brand. The shoes from Lacoste are made from leather, nubuck, and textile to create durable shoes that are super comfortable and super stylish.
If you take a closer look at the Lacoste handbag collection, you will find that most are made from PVC, while a few handbags are made from split cow leather. From a luxury brand, you would expect less PVC and more leather options.
Also, split cow leather is one of the more affordable types of leather and is not as luxurious as lambskin leather or calf leather that is commonly used by luxury fashion brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci.
3. Craftsmanship
The craftsmanship of Lacoste products is pretty great, so you know that when you buy a Lacoste product, it will be well made to stand the test of time properly. The majority of Lacoste items are made in France, to ensure the high quality of all of their garments and accessories.
There are some Lacoste items, such as their t-shirts, that you may find are made in Sri Lanka, while the materials used by Lacoste come from Peru and El Salvador. Lacoste items are known to be well made and of good quality – customers of the brand have noted how they wash well and stand up well to the extra stretch and movement involved in playing sports.
Our top picks from Lacoste
There are lots of incredible Lacoste products to choose from so it’s hard to pick just a few pieces! We’ve just focussed on womenswear this time but there are lots of lovely pieces that would be perfect for any men’s wardrobe.
Here are some of our favorite items, from a range of different collections, that we feel you will love too.
1. polo shirts
Of course, you have to include one of Lacoste’s famous white polo shirts when discussing the luxury brand. The Women’s Regular Fit Soft Cotton Petit Piqué Polo is made using René Lacoste’s famous piqué cotton which ensures this Lacoste polo is ideal for any sport.
This short-sleeved polo has a clean, minimalist design, with the Lacoste green crocodile as the only decoration, ensuring a chic and stylish look. The white polo is a classic option, but there are 11 other colors available too!
The four-button polo collar and slim fit design ensure this polo shirt is perfect to play a tennis match in or pair with tracksuit pants for a relaxed athleisure look.
2. Sweatshirts
You can’t beat a comfy sweatshirt and this Lacoste Oversized Print And Branded Sweatshirt is just perfect. Throw on after a session at the gym or just wear this oversized sweatshirt as loungewear around the house for a relaxed, cozy feel.
The sweatshirt has a bold varsity style design, with an eye-catching green L logo and oversized applique Lacoste crocodile on the front, the Lacoste brand name printed on one arm, and a crocodile arm ripping through the sweatshirt on the bag for a striking look.
The responsibly made sweatshirt is made from 100% cotton so it will really stand the test of time. Get your hands on this stunning sweatshirt for just $135.
3. Sneakers
As Lacoste is well known for good quality sportswear, the brand also creates a whole range of gorgeous sneakers – such as these Women’s Gripshot BL Leather and Synthetic Sneakers. Everyone needs a pair of white sneakers in their wardrobe and these are the ideal versatile pair that will look great with summer dresses or blue jeans for a more casual look.
The upper part of the sneakers is made from Nappa leather for a supple, luxurious finish, while the rubber sole guarantees durability and comfort.
The green Lacoste logo stands out on the side of these white shoes as the ideal decoration, while the pink trim around the sole and on the heel adds a delicate pop of color. Lacoste ensures their products are eco-friendly too with a lining made from recycled materials.
4. bags
There are lots of stunning Lacoste bags to choose from, whether you are looking for a sleek new shoulder bag, a backpack perfect for college or school, or a sports bag to bring to and from the gym – there is an option for everyone.
One of our favorite bags from Lacoste is the Anna Reversible Bicolor Tote Bag because of its endless versatility. The bag is made from PVC to ensure durability, while the detachable pouch that comes with the tote is perfect for keeping safe any small items so they are easy to find.
With a touch of playful design, this tote is reversible so you are able to choose whether navy or red is better suited to your outfit.
5. Watches
Watches were first added to the Lacoste collection in 1994 and were launched at the Basel Watch Fair. Since then, the clean lines and minimalist design of Lacoste watches have proved wildly popular, and they sit at a pretty affordable price point too!
The iconic Lacoste crocodile sits at the 3 o’clock mark on this all-black sleek 12.12 watch. The rubber watch strap guarantees practicality and durability making this the perfect watch to wear during your next golf game or tennis match.
The black face is subtly decorated with minimalist silver time markers and delicate silver hands. Available in navy too, this watch retails for $95.
Conclusion
After considering the quality of Lacoste products and taking a closer look at some of their most popular items, it is clear to see that Lacoste is an accessible luxury brand, or what is sometimes called a ‘bridge-to-luxury’ brand.
This means that Lacoste items are good quality and well made, but with a more affordable price tag and without the use of very expensive materials. The French company is a great option if you are just getting started in the world of luxury fashion, or if you are looking to buy high-quality clothing or accessories, but do not have the budget to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars.
Other famous brands such as Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, and Michael Kors are around the same level as Lacoste in terms of luxury, but Lacoste specializes in sportswear in a way that these three previous brands do not.
Overall, Lacoste is a great accessible luxury brand and the perfect option if you are looking for great quality sportswear that is guaranteed to look super stylish and really stand the test of time.
We hope you found this article answering the question, is Lacoste a luxury brand, helpful! For more luxury fashion content, check out the links below.
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