Lacoste was founded in 1933 by tennis player René Lacoste and André Gillier, introducing a lightweight short-sleeved polo in petit piqué cotton and becoming the first brand to feature a logo on clothing. René Lacoste acquired the nickname “the crocodile” after a 1923 wager involving a crocodile suitcase; he later asked Robert George to sew the animal onto his jackets, establishing the emblem that became Lacoste’s logo. The brand’s identity joins sport and fashion through the polo’s freedom of movement and the crocodile symbol, while René Lacoste’s inventions—including a patented racket shock absorber in 1960 and a steel racket in 1963—extended his influence beyond clothing. In 2010 Felipe Oliveira Baptista reinterpreted the polo and crocodile codes, and in 2018 Louise Trotter became the first woman to lead Lacoste’s creative direction. Lacoste marked the Crocodile’s 90th anniversary in 2023, then introduced a new visual identity in April 2026 drawing on archival typography, René Lacoste’s handwriting, Robert George’s crocodile work, historic colors, and tennis- and golf-related graphic codes. Its fragrance history includes L.12.12 Blanc Eau de Toilette from 2011, followed by Noir, Rose, and later Blanc and Rose flankers and concentrations.
