The History of Lacoste Shoes

Lacoste shoes are every bit as stylish as the rest of the fresh, sporty looks and fabulous perfumes they're famous for. And, they are becoming just as sought-after.

The Lacoste brand has close connections with tennis. It was company founder, René Lacoste, who won the Davis Cup for France for the first time in 1927. His name is still as well known in the world of tennis as it is in the world of fashion.

Rene, who was born in France in 1904, was nicknamed "the alligator" by the press. He made a bet with the Captain of the French Davis Cup Team over an alligator suitcase. The nickname stuck and was quickly turned into an alligator logo, which Lacoste had embroidered onto his blazer.

That logo is still around today. It can be found embroidered on items from the Lacoste clothing range as well as on selected pairs of Lacoste shoes. It is believed that Rene Lacoste's embroidered blazer was the first instance of a logo being worn on the exterior of an item of clothing. Until then, logos had only ever been sewn on labels, where they couldn't be seen. So when you wear your Lacoste shoes, complete with embroidered alligator, you're not simply following fashion--you're following in a tradition started all those years ago by Rene Lacoste himself.

Early items from the Lacoste line were heavily inspired by the tennis courts. Although the clothing has moved into the mainstream, it retains that sporty, casual feel.