Lacoste chose the Philippe-Chatrier court at Roland-Garros to present its Spring-Summer 2027 collection, utilizing the iconic tennis venue to question traditional sportswear conventions under the creative direction of Pelagia Kolotouros, Marie Claire reported.
The presentation, staged under the concept “Dress Code: No White Required,” revisits the brand’s athletic heritage while departing from rigid historical expectations. Kolotouros framed the tennis court as a living surface where baseline lines blur, red clay settles onto garments, and the visible marks of physical effort are celebrated rather than concealed.
Roland-Garros Court Setting for Spring-Summer 2027
By bringing the runway directly to the Parisian clay courts, Lacoste anchored its latest line in the physical reality of the sport. The collection builds on a historical trajectory set in the 1920s, when players like Suzanne Lenglen and brand founder René Lacoste began modifying standard tennis attire for practical advantage. Lenglen competed without a corset in a calf-length pleated skirt, while René Lacoste shortened his shirt sleeves to maximize movement, eventually inventing the modern polo shirt.
Rather than relying purely on archival nostalgia, the Spring-Summer 2027 lineup examines what happens to a standard uniform when individual movement takes precedence over strict club rules. Garments feature relaxed tailoring that follows natural body contours, contrasted with preppy codes transformed by enzyme washes, garment-dyed cottons, deconstructed tropical wools, and washed silks.
Runway Looks Mirror Tennis Heritage and Clay Courts
The runway featured perforated jerseys, technical breathable materials, teal coats, soft-construction tailoring, oversized piqué polos, and partially pleated skirts. Acid yellow accents appeared alongside cobalt blue nylon athletic gear and bright orange warm-up vests. In a direct nod to the venue, select white coats and wide-legged trousers showed deliberate red clay stains along the hems, mirroring the surface of Roland-Garros.
Accessories translate tennis heritage into urban silhouettes. The René bag, featuring a soft drape and diagonal flap, draws inspiration from a 1984 Irving Penn photograph of the classic polo, rendered in white, mirror silver, and a clay-dust gradient. Footwear centers on the ACE-T1, a sculptural sneaker, heel, and lace-up shoe design shaped by the visual tension of a tennis net. The color palette spans earth tones, clay shades, silver, acid yellow, and cobalt blue.
Individual Expression Versus Traditional Uniforms
The collection questions the necessity of a single, mandatory way to wear an athletic uniform. By revisiting René Lacoste’s century-old decision to cut his shirt sleeves, the brand frames tradition not as a set of restrictions, but as an initial framework for ongoing reinvention.
“Dress Code: No White Required” prioritizes personal freedom over strict dress codes, establishing individual expression as the collection’s primary guiding principle.
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