Activewear for home, work and play
Lacoste playfully mixes graphic sport codes with classics in its autumn-winter 2021-22 collection designed by Louise Trotter. Photographed by Sam Rock against the ultra-modern Front de Seine in Paris’ 15th district, the architectural landmarks’ grids, curves, concrete, bricks, tiles and glass allow the new collection to stand out in sharp relief.
Driven by its clients’ active lifestyles and the current blurring of home, work, and play, Lacoste’s new designs respond to the times with elegance, humor, and ease.
Bright shades are grounded in muted neutrals, and the collection tricks the eye with blown-up and shrunken proportions, unexpected fabrications, and the emergence of comic Lacoste characters. Like a cartoon, the signature house crocodile is reborn larger than life, as archival claw patches and bold croc heads create a new iconography alongside flaming tennis balls, a “tennis net” shadow check, and an L-shaped varsity logo.
Quintessentially sportif, the concept of the tracksuit and twinset are subverted in multiple ways for men and women, as trompe l’oeil shirting, cardigans and jogging pants are all cut in cotton piqué — the keystone material of the Lacoste polo shirt — to create subtly matching sports ensembles.
Tailoring reflects the sartorial heritage of the house founder René Lacoste, as the smooth, enveloping lines of pea coats, varsity jackets, overcoats and trenches are tweaked for today with knit collars, bonding for bounce, and light nylon quilting.
Evolving the upcycled design process of recent seasons, shell suits, puffer coats and quilted liners are reconstructed from a patchwork of vintage and dead-stock Lacoste fabrics, creating new geometries in classic sport shapes.
“Framis” bonding, drawstrings and oversized rope toggles further the athletic and engineered feel of garments, as do neoprene crop tops and sculpted shorts for women.
Crisp, unisex chinos feature elastic Velcro cuffs, polychrome leggings in neoprene and a patched knit zip high above the ankle, while speed stripes echo the racing aesthetic of checkerboard jacquard polos and trims. Worn with embossed, molded slides, five-panel cotton piqué caps and oversized rucksacks, they complete the season’s exercise in dynamic sport style.
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In the Philippines, Lacoste is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc., and is located at Central Square in Bonifacio High Street Central, Alabang Town Center, City of Dreams, Eastwood Mall, Estancia in Capitol Commons, Fairview Terraces, Gateway Mall, Greenbelt 5, Newport Mall, Podium, Power Plant Mall, Robinson’s Galleria, Robinson’s Magnolia, Robinson’s Place Manila, Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Shangri-La, Shangri-La Plaza East Wing, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, Solaire, TriNoma, UP Town Center, Waterfront Cebu, Ayala Center Cebu, Abreeza Davao, SM Davao, Veranza KCC Mall General Santos and Zamboanga.
Lacoste Accessories is located at Glorietta 4; Lacoste Sport at Ayala Center Cebu; and Lacoste Footwear at Alabang Town Center.
Visit lacoste.com.ph and www.ssilife.com.ph, follow facebook.com/LacostePhilippines, or visit @ssilifeph on Instagram for more information.
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Follow the author on Instagram @theresejamoragarceau and @thebeautytraveler_ph.