What other theater than the Roland Garros stadium could choose Lacoste to parade again? In 2019, the Crocodile took over a secondary courtyard. This was before the rise of the flagship of the MF Brands group, which has since largely exceeded 2 billion euros in turnover. This year, to unveil its fall-winter 2024 collection, Lacoste is taking over the famous Philippe Chatrier court. And no risk of rain, the site is completely covered.
See the Lacoste fashion show – Fall-Winter2024 – 2025 – Womenswear – France – Paris – ©Launchmetrics/spotlight
The soundtrack celebrates the exploits of René Lacoste while the guests settle into the boxes as close as possible to a court covered with an immense clay-colored sheet. Pierre Niney, in flowing black leather over an ocher polo shirt and black pleated pants with a crocodile logo belt, takes his place as the brand’s new muse, while Thierry Guibert, boss of the fashion group, chats with the former French tennis player Guy Forget. Hundreds of distinguished guests take their seats to discover the return to the Crocodile parade.
After taking over creative direction at the start of 2023, Pelagia Kostopoulos, who previously worked for The North Face and Yeezy, paraded her creation for the first time in Paris. The production began with a wink with a dozen young men in impeccable black suits who, like ball boys, removed the immense canvas revealing a misshapen tennis court whose white lines rose in a spiral on a mound 4 meters high. Armed with brooms, a team dressed in white and navy tracksuits cleaned its curved lines, clearing the way for the runway silhouettes.
See the Lacoste fashion show – Fall-Winter2024 – 2025 – Womenswear – France – Paris – ©Launchmetrics/spotlight
If René Lacoste is cited as a reference, for his first show Pelagia played with his rules on the court, moving away from the essential (and very profitable) historical polo shirt: this one was only visible under a sweater, a coat or a suit. The American designer, originally from Queens in New York, preferred to play again with layering as she already proposed in the spring-summer collection. Her proposal is part of the house’s strategy of moving upmarket initiated several years ago and she has fun making feminine and masculine silhouettes respond to each other. Thus, pleated tennis skirts are worn superimposed on pants, for her as well as for him in tone-on-tone forest green or in white on black pants. The pleated effect is included in the leather goods offering, which is still very present this season.
The designer also worked hard on the range of sleeved pieces with large down jackets worn over very light knits in a mini short style. Leather jackets and large coats reaching down to the ankles accentuate the silhouettes. Three of these deep black coats are marked with an imposing golden crocodile on the lower back. Under these, the models wear leggings, jumpsuits, skirts and shorts, between comfortable technicality and silky, elegant and refined materials.
Delicate and fluid materials used on blouses and jackets in a chic expression of tennis resulting in black and white prints of a historic photograph of René Lacoste on the court or of a vintage tennis racket. Through a handful of technical pieces, the designer also gives a nod to the sporting world, which she knows well since her time at The North Face.
See the Lacoste fashion show – Fall-Winter2024 – 2025 – Womenswear – France – Paris – ©Launchmetrics/spotlight
“It’s good to come back,” said Thierry Guibert after the show. “And with particular attention to tailoring.” In fact, two strong pieces are being used for next fall-winter. A construction of pleated dresses and skirts in two stages, shorter in the front and longer on the sides and back. High-waisted pleated pants, incorporating a belt with a gold or silver crocodile-shaped tightening buckle. These, flared at the feet, are combined with imposing shoes with notched soles with a plasticized and colored toe, while the former are worn with a model of sneakers with plain heels.
A model worn backstage by Catherine Spindler, the deputy general director delighted to see Lacoste reconnect with the Parisian fashion shows. The Crocodile was able to create an event, attracting crowds of French and international artists and celebrities. Pelagia Kelotouros was in high demand after this first Lacoste show. “I really wanted to pay homage to the 91-year heritage of the brand and I wanted to let customers know how rich the brand is with this history and this connection with tennis,” she slipped between a series of shots with actor Adrien Brody and legend Grace Jones.
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2024-03-05 21:56:55
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