Lacoste is releasing the ACE-T1 sneaker for spring/summer 2027, featuring a genuine tennis ball embedded directly into the heel as a visible part of the silhouette rather than a simple decorative motif, Creapills reported. Unveiled on October 4 at Roland-Garros on a Philippe-Chatrier court transformed into a red clay landscape, the design marks a radical shift in how athletic heritage is integrated into footwear. The collection draws inspiration from the rebellious spirit of icons like Suzanne Lenglen and René Lacoste, paying homage to their boldness and singular approach to the sport, while the runway show opened with immaculate white looks and traditional sportswear before evolving into a sharper aesthetic playing with layering, outerwear, and accessories.
Tennis Balls Form the Base of ACE-T1 Sneakers
The standout feature of the ACE-T1 is its heel construction, where a real neon-yellow tennis ball sits lodged beneath the rear of the foot, forming an exposed rounded base. SneakerNews noted that the midsole features slanted triangle cutouts mimicking forward motion, while the upper showcases a futuristic TPU frame with diamond cutouts reminiscent of the Nike Kobe 3, layered over techy mesh and canvas. The design is realized across three runway silhouettes: a low-top sneaker, a wedge version, and a laced pump, with the heel splitting into a “V” shape to accommodate the ball squeezed between the footbed platform.
Paris Fashion Week Runway Debut at Roland-Garros
The sneaker debuted during Lacoste’s spring-summer 2027 runway show titled “Dress Code: No White Required,” presented at Roland-Garros in Paris, where creative director Pelagia Kolotouros transformed traditional tennis dress codes using sun-baked red clay hues, technical fabrics, mineral colors, and yellow touches reflecting court balls, alongside a central court covered in ochre reliefs and silhouettes featuring revisited polos.
Lacoste Plans Spring Summer 2027 Rollout
Lacoste has not assigned any specific performance cushioning function to the embedded tennis ball, leaving its role entirely visual. Creative director Pelagia Kolotouros previously explored similar avant-garde tennis concepts at Roland-Garros, including a jacket created for Novak Djokovic crafted using actual red clay from the courts. While confirmed for a spring/summer 2027 rollout, the exact pricing and strict calendar dates remain unannounced.
