Lacoste is reaching into the archives for its latest collaboration.
The French fashion label has teamed up with sportswear brand Sporty & Rich for a collection that draws on Lacoste’s archival styles from the 70s and 80s. The 22-piece collection features apparel and accessories that include tracksuits, sweatshirts, elegant dresses, tanks, jumpsuits, hoodies and polo shirts.
The collection was co-created by Louis Trotter, former creative director at Lacoste, and Emily Oberg, founder of Sporty & Rich.
“It was very clear that we both wanted to go into the archives and see the past,” Oberg said. “Our brand is very much a wine-inspired brand, so [Trotter] They sent me lots of photos from their archives from the 70s and 80s and we picked our favorites from there. We did fittings and updated them and made them a bit more suitable for today’s customer and that was it. It was very simple and flawless and we both have a refined look and taste so it worked out well.
As sporty and rich as it is sports-oriented – the brand has released several tennis collections, including an ongoing collaboration with Prince Tennis – the collection uses a lot of Lacoste’s tennis-inspired archival styling.
The pieces include a white striped tennis dress, a light blue turtleneck top and matching shorts, and several polo shirts. The pieces combine Sporty & Rich’s iconography with Lacoste’s iconic crocodile logo.
Styles from the Lacoste x Sport & Rich collaboration.
Courtesy of Lacoste
“I personally love the halter top and mini short collection because that’s a very unique style for the tennis line,” says Oberg about the standout pieces in the collection. “It’s not as functional as today’s tennis clothes, but I think it looks really cool. I think the collection as a whole is tennis-slash-holiday, so all the pieces are things you would wear on holiday, but also on the court.
Since the brand’s inception nearly five years ago, collaborations have been a big part of the sport and thriving business. The brand has launched collaborations with Solid & Striped, Adidas, Clark’s and others. Sporty & Rich’s second collaboration with adidas is set to release next month.
“[Collaborations are] It’s a very important part of our brand just because I think it’s always better when two brands come together,” said Oberg. “I think it’s very strong. This shared vision of working together is always exciting and fun for both parties. I think we were able to bring two different perspectives to the table and create something more than we could have created on our own.
This is Lacoste’s latest collaboration this year. Last month, the fashion label teamed up with Netflix to create a collection inspired by the streaming service’s popular TV shows like “Bridgerton” and “Stranger Things.” The fashion label is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year.
The Lacoste x Sporty & Rich collection ranges in price from $20 to $210 and will be available in Lacoste stores and online starting Wednesday.
