Landscape Badge Polo Navy

When French tennis player Rene Lacoste founded his eponymous brand, he started out with the polo shirt and revolutionised the attire for the sport that he loved. Fast-forward 85 years later, the premise of Lacoste remains the same—a brand that is modern and elegant in its appeal with clothes that look great both on and off the tennis courts. Lacoste’s offerings have since changed. The range now covers everything from footwear to bags and small leather goods. But at the heart of the brand is the 1933 original L.12.12 polo shirt in petit pique cotton fabric that’s still a mainstay. The design of Lacoste’s polo shirts has seen through many different iterations to suit the needs and styles of the times. Change is constant after all. In celebration of its 85th anniversary, Lacoste tips its hat to its founder and its longstanding legacy by recreating a selection of eight polo shirts. Each polo shirt represents each decade since the brand was founded and is defined by the style of the period, showing how Lacoste was informed not by function alone. The polo shirts are also tagged with the ‘La Chemise Lacoste label as a nod to the original name of the brand. We highlight three of the eight polo shirts that are part of the 85th anniversary collection and captured them with equally signature Singaporean architecture of the same decade. Just like the buildings, these reissues—and the iconic crocodile logo emblazoned on them—withstand the test of time. This was where it all began. The reissue polo shirt takes reference from the prototype that paved the way for the original L.12.12 polo shirt. It’s easily distinguishable from the rest in the collection with its patch pocket. If you’re already familiar with the modern L.12.12 polo shirt, this reissue is a similar fit except that the sleeves are slightly longer to stay true to the original. It’s an homage but oddly enough, doesn’t look out of place today.