Lacoste Brand History

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.

Plugging our mates

Inbetween telling you how great the clothes we sell are, we'd also like to tell you how great we think some of our friends and acquaintances are.

It makes perfect sense to kick things off with http://one-up-manship.blogspot.com/

Born out of the cult website http://www.countylads.com/, the ever evolving Oneupmanship Blog has a growing army of visitors, attracted by the genuine passion in the writing. Covering anything cool, the blog is regularly updated, featuring clothing finds, pub and real ale stuff, music, films and everything inbetween it's one of the first places you should look when you've got some spare time. If you've never seen it before, where have you been?

http://www.one-up-manship.blogspot.com/

20% off Victorinox

Check these out and more at www.casualsclobber.co.uk

Money off Miglia

Pretty much the iconic casual jacket, the Mille Miglia is of a high technical specification and not available in massive quantities.

As a result you get what you pay for.

Luckily we've just sliced 75 smackers off the price. One size left, a 56. Be nimble, be quick.

More from 12th Man

See our facebook page for more information.

Fjall Raven Brand History

Fjällräven is, and has been for the last four decades, the leading outdoor company in Scandinavia with a strong heritage as the foremost innovative brand among users in the Swedish mountain world.

The name fjällräven/arctic fox derives from the founder Åke Nordin’s deep admiration for the small predator which lives in the Swedish mountains in the harshest of climates. The Arctic fox is a very smart animal, equipped with the best possible fur for survival.

They still see a strong connection between their products and the Arctic Fox.

Now having stepped off the mountain peaks and onto the terraces with their functional hi tec garments that provide the essential elements required on any given match day Fjallraven has become a staple choice in the casual wardrobe.

You can buy all manner of Fjall Raven items at Casuals Clobber.

To a tee - T-Shirts from CasualsClobber

We'll keep it brief, you want to see pics not listen to us all the time.

T-Shirts from CasualsClobber






T-Shirts from CP Company, One True Saxon, 80s Casuals, Casual Connoisseur and Fila.

Smart Casual

Whether it be for a job interview, a family christening or (whisper it) a court appearance, there comes a time when your default outfit doesn't quite cut it. You know it looks smart but rocking up for an interview in a Fila tracky top is unlikely to get you the job. Likewise, that invite you've got to the 'evening do' of your cousin's wedding can only be RSVP'd properly when you've settled your inner dispute about what to wear.

Wearing a shirt need not make you look like a wally. If you've got an ounce of style (and let's face it, you're reading this so you must have a bit of a clue) then choosing the right type of formal shirt shouldn't be a hard task.

Rather than pontificate about how great our various shirts are, we'll just politely link to what we have available and let you choose.

I mean, we wouldn't dream of suggesting the 6876 Oxford Shirt would go nice with a pair of beige chinos, nor would we try to tell you this timeless 6876 Charles Shirt would look nice on those holiday snaps where you're a bit worse for wear but still holding it together. You don't need us to be telling you any of this. You know, don't you.

So instead of reading this, read this.

Jacket in!

And the nature of the British summer means at some point during your beer garden existence you, or one of your friends is going to say "It's gone a bit chilly hasn't it, shall we go inside?".

Well, we've got your solution, as if you needed us to tell you.

For those who prefer to spend their money on wine, women and song, we've got the great value of this Luke 1977 Butcher Field Jacket, in powder blue.



At just £150, it represents the same look you might get with CP or Stone Island but without such a hit on your wallet.

If you're able to stretch your budget a tad further, then we've got a multitude of options for you, but how about this One True Saxon Aslockton Shooter Jacket at £225?




If you're feeling flush and need a bit of luxury on your back, then get that credit card out and bang this on it. It's the Stone Island Liquid Silk jacket in marine blue. At £450 it represents just as good value for money as the other more inexpensive jackets, but that old adage of getting what you pay for is true here.

12th Man tasters!

More pics over on our facebook page.