The History of The Lacoste T-shirt

In 1926, legendary French tennis player, Rene Lacoste, known on the court as Le Crocodile, showed up to the US Open wearing a soft-collared, white cotton pullover instead of the regulation garb of a stiff white button-down and tie. Now nearly a century later, this iconic T-shirt has gone from being the rebel cry of a rogue tennis star to a hallmark of preppy style to ironic hipster staple and finally to reach a cultural cult status that applicable to any wardrobe.

But how did it all happen? How it a simple white T-shirt adorned with a tiny alligator have such an impact on fashion history? Let us take you through the timeline.

Sportswear

Soon after Rene debuted his design at the US Open, the piqued cotton T-shirts became a staple in sportswear, and it’s easy to see why. Unlike traditional tennis attire, these tees were breathable and made movement easier; the collar could be popped up to protect your neck from the sun (yes, previous to insufferable suburban boys who wore their collars popped and aviators on while roaming the mall, a popped collar actually served a purpose) while the V-ed button down wasn’t constricting around the neck. Finally in 1933, Rene Lacoste teamed up with André Gillier to start producing these Crocodile adorned tees and marketing them to the masses.

Preppy

Through the ‘70s, the Lacoste polo was a staple in sportswear, but in the 80’s it experienced popularity in streetwear that could without exaggeration be called a phenomenon. It became not only part of the prepster uniform but the pinnacle on which their measured themselves. It wasn’t merely owning one, but how many; the goal being to have one in every color and shade from pastel pink to neon orange. They displayed their collection by wearing multiple shirts at once; collars popped like peacocks showing layers of color combinations.

Hipster

While it’s not the first time Lacoste would be embraced ironically (see: David Byrne of The Talking Heads who was known to wear one on stage), the latest resurgence of polo was brought about by hipsters, who we can always count on to dig up old treasures from fashion’s past. This time, around they T-shirt is bought second hand and pastels like pink and yellow seemed to be the preferred colors and worn with skinny jeans and thick-framed glasses.

But today, whether you choose a collared cotton tee or just a crew neck, this classic shirt can fit in any wardrobe. Worn with a pleated midi skirt and crisp white sneakers or ripped up black denim and combat boots, this classic T-shirt shares a universal cultural appeal that benefits any bodies style.

Add culture to your closet with a Lacoste T-shirt.