When two French tennis players made a friendly bet in 1927, neither of them could have contemplated what would follow. The captain of the French tennis team, Jean Edouarde decided his team-mate Rene Lacoste required a little extra motivation in order to win a vital Davis Cup match. Edouarde promised to buy Rene an alligator skin bag he’d earlier pointed out in a nearby shop.Thankfully for the French, Lacoste won his match which- allied to his aggressive style of play - earned him the nickname “The Alligator”.Soon after, a friend of Rene Lacoste by the name of Robert George embroidered a large gator on the breast pocket of Lacoste’s blazer and in doing so, created sport’s first ever clothing logo. This logo became synonymous with the tennis champion, and when his career started to come to an end, he decided to capitalise on it and go into business marketing clothing which featured the famous logo.In partnership with Gillier, one of the biggest knitwear manufacturers in France, Lacoste created an early version of what now call the polo shirt.
The polo shirts were designed using Lacoste’s experience of the tennis court. Previously tennis players had favoured long sleeved garments which compared to the new polo shirts were impractical and uncomfortable. Gillier and Lacoste developed a unique fabric called jersey petit pique which was not only more comfortable, but was lighter, absorbed perspiration and almost unintentionally... looked pretty cool.In 1933, Lacoste launched the 1212 which was his prototype tennis shirt and not a million miles away from the one we pay £55 for 73 years on. Back then it cost an expensive 5 francs. The previously unheard of practice of using a logo in such a prominent position only added to the desirability and as such the value too.World War Two meant production was halted but as in the UK, the post war years saw the explosion of youth culture and as a result, demand for polos in colours other than the original white increased. In the UK, Stockport-born Fred Perry decided he’d launch his own take on the tennis polo shirt, using his fame to promote his shirts not only in the UK but across the water in America too.
When the Mods came along in the 60’s the Fred Perry polo became a staple part of the new look which cemented Fred Perry’s place as the market leader when it came to polo shirts.Meanwhile, Lacoste continued to grow steadily and quietly until it eventually came to prominence during the 1970s. Some fashion experts claim the Lacoste polo was popularised by the gay community in both America and the UK but it was on the football terraces of Liverpool where it’s reputation in this country started to grow.Not only did the Lacoste polo tick all the boxes possessed by early casuals by being understated, well made but most importantly expensive, but the flood of fake copies from abroad only served to increase the desire of lads to get the real thing. Poor quality imitations and Lo-coste versions like Le Shark only served to make the real thing much more sought afterPerhaps the key to the success of Lacoste over the years is the way they’ve consciously stopped the market from being flooded with all manner of Lacoste items. The polo shirt remains the standout item of Lacoste clothing and even now in the days of internet shopping and globalisation it’s still relatively difficult to find a Lacoste polo, with most towns or cities have one or perhaps two outlets where stock and range is limited. I can’t think of a week that has passed over the last couple of years when I’ve not sported a Lacoste polo. While £55 represents a significant outlay, you’re paying not only for what Lacoste represents, but also a top quality item that won’t lose it’s shape after 20, never mind 2 washes and will match almost anything, from your vintage Lois jeans to the cords you sometimes wear when out for an Italian with the Mrs.Next year sees the 80th birthday of the Lacoste polo shirt.
Not bad going for something designed after a bet over a tennis match.
