Lacoste brings the runway into its stores

By

Olivier Guyot

Published
Apr 25, 2019

There's a revolution afoot at Lacoste. The French brand, which up until now adapted certain star pieces from its runway shows to be sold in its retail network, has decided to bring a limited selection of looks straight from the catwalk into its stores. 

The initiative has com from Louise Trotter, the brand's creative director since October of last year. The British designer, who found her feet in a matter of weeks, presented a much-lauded debut collection for Fall/Winter 2019 at Le Tennis Club de Paris. While one might have expected that that collection's star piece – an oversized jumper with threads hanging down from the brand's crocodile logo – would be reinterpreted to go on sale, it's actually a selection of 15 looks that are currently being picked out to hit stores this summer. 

The brand has specified that these pieces will be stocked in its flagships in major cities around the world. Boiled wool, ultra-light leather and overlapping fabrics characterised the latest season's collection and the looks' prices will reflect the quality of their materials and design, with dresses retailing for several hundred euros, while coats will go for four-figure sums. It's certainly a gamble for the brand, which will have to find a way to fit these products into its stores. 

This also implies the coordination of a new internal structure at the brand, where a dedicated team has been put together in order to work out the best positioning for the new offering in collaboration with the label's creative teams. The high-end looks will also go on sale in selected department stores, which will receive the pieces in time for September. 

Through this fresh approach and its new ad campaigns, Lacoste, led by CEO Thierry Guibert, is looking to give itself an edge and boost growth. Guibert recently revealed that Lacoste, owned by Maus Frères, saw sales growth of 26% in 2018, with revenues totalling 3.1 billion euros.