| Despite their name, Lacoste polo shirts are actually | | | | softer, flat collar could be worn either loosened or |
| direct descendants of the original cotton "tennis whites" | | | | upturned to guard against sunburn on the back of the |
| worn in the late nineteen century. | | | | neck. |
| The "tennis whites" shirt style was defined by a | | | | Now retired from professional tennis, Lacoste began |
| long-sleeved buttoned-up front, normally worn with the | | | | focusing all of his attention upon the merchandising and |
| narrow sleeves rolled up. Although this seems like a | | | | distribution of his shirts. He joined forces with his friend |
| very limiting shirt choice for athletes by today's | | | | and business partner, André Gillier, to market |
| standards, tennis whites were considered very | | | | the "Lacoste Shirt" specifically to North American |
| informal and quite "sporty" in their day. | | | | retailers. The embroidered crocodile logo on the shirts |
| But French tennis champion René Lacoste | | | | ensured that they were unmistakable and helped to |
| thought he could improve upon the old button-up style. | | | | "brand" Lacoste shirts as unique. The mass-marketing |
| He had long felt that the long-sleeve tennis whites of | | | | of the tennis shirt had the unexpected result of |
| the day were uncomfortable and limited movement on | | | | attracting other athletes. Polo players, in particular, |
| the court. He began experimenting with a white, | | | | began wearing his tennis shirt as an alternative to the |
| short-sleeved shirt, made from loosely-knit cotton with | | | | thick, long sleeve, buttoned shirts that had traditionally |
| a design that featured a softer, flat collar and a longer | | | | been worn in their sport. |
| tail in back. | | | | Today, you are just as likely to find a Lacoste Polo |
| Lacoste first wore his design at the 1926 U.S. Open | | | | shirt on the golf course as on the tennis court or polo |
| Tennis Championship. Needless to say, the innovated | | | | field. In fact, the familiar little crocodile has become a |
| style drew more than a few stares and | | | | modern wardrobe staple for all men, not just athletes. |
| remarks--some positive, and some decidedly negative. | | | | Hip hop fashion began to include the polo shirt early on, |
| He persevered with his design and in 1927, he sewed | | | | and today Lacoste clothing can be seen in rap videos, |
| the now famous crocodile emblem on the left upper of | | | | school playgrounds and even nightclubs. |
| his shirts. This was in response to the American press, | | | | Paradoxically though, the shirt is hardly worn by tennis |
| who had given him the nickname, "The Alligator." | | | | players these days because they began switching |
| In the early 1930's, Lacoste founded "Logo de Chemise | | | | over to T-shirts in the late 90's. Polo players too, have |
| Lacoste," a company which would produce and sell his | | | | moved on from the original Lacoste shirt. Even though |
| new shirt. His design solved many of the problems of | | | | the shirt is seldom used for its original purpose today, |
| the traditional tennis "whites," in particular the tendency | | | | it's popularity remains as strong as ever among the |
| of the long sleeves to roll down mid-match. And the | | | | general public. |