Paris Women’s Fashion Week F/W 2019

Part 4: Lacoste

Lacoste is all about tennis and then some more. Over the years, the brand has become an icon of French style worldwide: Via its polo shirt and via the crocodile logo. René Lacoste himself was a dashing figure, not only on the court but also off. He wore good suits and coats and started his namesake brand 85 years ago. Yesterday saw the debut of designer Louise Trotter who worked as creative director at Joseph in London for nine years and left a mark with her effortless, casual chic collections. Trotter is about the details and as first woman at the helm of design after the Portuguese designer Felipe Oliveira Baptista, it was maybe easier for her to focus on René himself to anchor her first collection. Hence, a lot of well cut single-breasted suits or the roomy opening camel coat, which was directly taken from Lacoste’s wardrobe but worn by a woman here. Plus Trotter smartly featured lots of athletic fabrics and a focus on the crocodile. After Baptista left, it was not clear whether Lacoste would go in a more athletic and sports-driven direction or more fashion. The appointment of Trotter confirmed that owner Swiss family held group Maus Frères would rev up the fashion engines of the crocodile and Trotter delivered with a well-executed collection of modern sportswear high on fashion.

The tailoring?

It was striking to see a radical step towards tailoring at Lacoste. Tons of stunning outerwear as in macs with detachable collars, precision tailoring in men’s and women’s suits in mostly single-breasted, two button versions.

The collection showed precise tailoring for men and women.

The fabrics?

Trotter put a heavy emphasis on her fabric research especially the knitwear and nylons, which added a whole new category to the house, which is famous for its piqué cotton.

Introducing new fabrics with heavy knits and nylon.

What we liked?

Nearly all the oversize polo shirts or dresses with big, multi-color, knit collars and bicep stripes as in a green shirtdress on model of the moment Veronika Kunz looked fresh and new to Lacoste. Also, the plunging V cricket sweaters with deconstructed, flying yarn croc logos were cool.

Long polo shirt dresses and deconstructed crocodile logos.

Our favorite looks?

The final dresses in signal colors where in one the skirt part was pleated and the top was a zip-up high collar knit in deep blue with yellow stripes or with entirely pleated panel dresses.