I was shopping for a new watch for Adam’s birthday (Dec 10th) and came across some lovely pieces by Lacoste. They were by far the most interesting from a design standpoint and really isn’t that the most important thing? I settled on a very low key black watch with a cloth black and grey cloth band (see below). When I received the box from the clerk I knew I had made the right call.. it had the simple logo on white top, iconic green base with the watch wrapped around a white pillow with the logo on the corner—very simple, clean packaging. Also Adam is a big fan of tennis and it was very cool to find out that the brand was started by a player. Advantage Lacoste!
It was interesting to read a little bit about the start of the Lacoste Co. in the booklet that came with the watch. Most notable, the fact that Lacoste was the first to put its logo on the front of their shirts. This is a practice that has been “perfected” by the likes of Coach and Luis Vuitton logo patterns—a look that is smart for brand recognition but something I find a little tacky.
text taken from watch booklet
The crocodile
The LACOSTE legend began in Boston in 1923, when René Lacoste, a tennis superstar of the 1920’s, made a wager with his Davis Cup French team captain that if he won the game, the captain would buy him an alligator suitcase. An American journalist remembered this and coined Lacoste’s nickname, writing: “He didn’t win the bag, but he fought like an alligator.” Back home alligator became crocodile, and soon René Lacoste’s tennis blazers were sporting an embroidered crocodile.
A lifestyle brand
In 1933, René Lacoste decided to begin manufacturing the perfect shirt for tennis which he had designed earlier to beat the heat of the American summers. This original polo-shirt, called the 12.12, revolutionized men’s sportswear. It featured a crocodile on the left breast — the first time a logo was used on the outside of a shirt.
The Veritable Ad- This was the first advertisement for their shirts.
Adam’s new watch