Lacoste unveils heritage‑inspired rebrand

Lacoste has refreshed its visual identity, reintroducing more pronounced serif letterforms in its logo and paying homage to the original artwork of Robert George, the illustrator behind the first crocodile emblem.

Typography is one of the defining elements of the new identity, said the brand. Custom-designed, it is distinguished by meticulous attention to proportion, rhythm, and spacing, establishing a signature that is both precise and distinctive. The refreshed logos will be rolled out across signage, from boutiques to carrier bags.

Celebrating its heritage through a contemporary lens, the new branding is a fully bespoke creation, “distinguished by the precision of its proportions, rhythms, and spacing.”

The new branding draws on the richness of Lacoste’s archives, from the earliest creations of René Lacoste, who founded his eponymous label—originally named La Chemise Lacoste—in 1933 with entrepreneur André Gillier, then owner and president of France’s largest knitwear manufacturer, as well as the now-iconic piqué polo shirt.

Lacoste’s signature Crocodile has been given greater prominence depending on context, especially when used as a standalone mark. The red tongue, already present in the original design, is now more clearly emphasised across selected applications in the new identity.

This detail builds on the brand’s history and reflects Lacoste’s spirit of freedom and playfulness. The house’s signature green has been carefully recalibrated to closely match its original shade, restoring an intensity that remains true to the brand’s heritage.

René Lacoste was first dubbed “the Crocodile” by the American press after he reportedly bet his team captain a crocodile-skin suitcase that he would win a match. The nickname soon caught on with French fans, who felt it captured his tenacity on the tennis court.

The colour palette also revisits the brand’s historic hues. Lacoste’s emblematic green has been refined to more closely match its original shade, “restoring an intensity true to the brand’s history,” and is joined by clay—evoking the courts René Lacoste played on—and farine (French for flour), a nod to the off-white tone of his first blazer.

René Lacoste’s handwritten script further enriches the visual language. Used in selected applications, notably within the Café Lacoste logotype, it introduces a more personal dimension directly tied to the brand’s origins. This language is reinforced by motifs drawn from Lacoste’s graphic archives, echoing the work of Robert George and reflecting the brand’s core territories and codes: tennis, golf, and the Crocodile. In this way, “illustrations inform new expressions,” particularly in packaging.

Developed in collaboration with Commission Studio, Lacoste’s new visual identity will be “progressively deployed across all brand expressions” over the coming months. Earlier this month, Lacoste also introduced French Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly as its latest brand ambassador. He will serve as the primary face of the Lacoste polo shirt, alongside other forthcoming projects.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Lacoste for more information. 

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