Despite their name, Lacoste polo shirts are actually direct descendants of the original cotton 「tennis whites」 worn in the late nineteen century. The 「tennis whites」 shirt style was defined by a long-sleeved buttoned-up front, normally worn with the narrow sleeves rolled up. Although this seems like a very limiting shirt choice for athletes by today’s standards, tennis whites were considered very informal and quite 「sporty」 in their day.
But French tennis champion René Lacoste thought he could improve upon the old button-up style. He had long felt that the long-sleeve tennis whites of the day were uncomfortable and limited movement on the court. He began experimenting with a new short-sleeved shirt. His first shirt was made from a light-knitted fabric called 「jersey petit pique」 which allowed for ventilation. The shirt was white and short-sleeved. The shirt could be opened for maximum ventilation by adjusting the two-button placket and the collar could be worn up-turned to block the sun from his neck.
Over the next few years, other members of the French tennis team began to wear Lacoste-style shirts and soon players from other countries were requesting his tennis shirts for themselves.
About the Logo
The roots of the world-recognized Lacoste logo extend back to the game of professional level tennis in the 1920’s. René Lacoste was a world-class tennis player from France. Lacoste acquired the nickname 「Alligator」 from the American sports press following a bet he made while in America to play in the 1927 Davis Cup. While in Boston, Lacoste had seen a piece of luggage made from alligator hide that he liked very much. The captain of the French team offered to buy the case for him on condition that he won his match in the upcoming competition. When the press heard of the bet, they thought that the alligator skin was a good metaphor for Lacoste’s tenacious playing style and his ability to keep a hold on and control his opponent’s attempts to change up the tempo of the matches. From then on, sports journalists referred to Lacoste as 「the Alligator」.
The nickname stuck with him after returning home to France but with no cognate in his native language, the French press changed his nickname to le crocodile. Soon after, his friend, Robert George, drew an alligator that Lacoste had embroidered upon the blazers he wore when attending tennis events.
The Beginning of Lacoste Fashions
René Lacoste retired from professional tennis in 1929 but at the time he did not know that he would soon be embarking on a new career in the fashion industry. After the success of his tennis shirt among tennis players throughout Europe, polo players began to request the shirt. They, too, were tired of wearing stiff, long-sleeved shirts and were attracted by the ability of the collar to block the sun from their necks. The spreading popularity of the tennis shirt prompted Lacoste to team up with the owner and president of the largest French knitwear manufacturing firm at the time, Andre Gillier, in 1933. The company was called La Societe Chemise Lacoste and it began to produce the Lacoste white tennis shirt with the logo embroidered on the chest.
In 1951, the company expanded the popularity of the shirt by introducing colored shirts and in the 1960’s the Lacoste fashion line was expanded into other areas such as shoes, hats, and sweaters. Today, you are just as likely to find a Lacoste Polo shirt on the golf course as on the tennis court or polo field. In fact, the familiar little crocodile has become a modern wardrobe staple for all men, not just athletes. Its popularity remains as strong as ever among the general public.
雖然名為馬球衫，鱷魚品牌的馬球衫卻是由19世紀末的純棉「白色網球衫」直接演變而來的。「白色網球衫」是一款長袖、前面系扣、穿著時窄袖子常捲起來的運動衫。就今天的標準來看，它對運動員是一種局限，然而在當時，這種襯衫被視為非常休閒並且很「運動」的服裝。
但是，法國網球冠軍勒內•拉科斯特卻認為他可以對這種傳統的系扣襯衫進行改進。他早就覺得這種白色長袖網球衫穿著很不舒服，並且限制了運動員在場上的行動。於是，他開始著手設計一款新的短袖運動衫。他做的第一件運動衫用的是一種叫做jersey petit pique的輕盈織料，透氣性好。這種運動衫為白色短袖。它還可以通過調節兩個扣的領叉來充分透氣，衣領還可以翻起來穿，免得脖子被陽光暴曬。
在接下來的幾年裡，法國網球隊的其他隊員開始穿拉科斯特設計的這款運動衫，很快其他國家的運動員也開始向他訂製這種網球衫。
關於品牌標識
鱷魚品牌的標識世界聞名，它的起源要追溯到20世紀20年代的職業級網球賽。當時，勒內•拉科斯特是法國的一位世界級網球運動員。1927年，拉科斯特在美國參加戴維斯杯，他打了一個賭，之後美國的體育媒體便開始用「美洲鱷」來稱呼他。當時，拉科斯特在波士頓看到一個鱷魚皮的手提箱，非常喜歡。法國隊的隊長說，如果他能在接下來的比賽中獲勝，就把皮箱買下來送給他。媒體聽說這個賭注後，認為「鱷魚皮」是一個很好的比喻，用來詮釋拉科斯特在賽場上堅韌的打法，以及他把握和控制對手的進攻、改變比賽節奏的能力。從那時起，體育記者便開始稱拉科斯特為「美洲鱷」。
這個外號一直跟他回到法國，但是因為法語中沒有同源詞，法國媒體便把他的外號改稱為「鱷魚先生」。不久後，他的朋友羅伯特•喬治畫了一條鱷魚，拉科斯特便把它繡在了自己參加網球比賽時穿的外套上。
鱷魚時尚的開端
1929年，勒內•拉科斯特結束了職業網球生涯，當時，他還不知道自己很快會在時尚界大展拳腳。在他的網球衫受到歐洲各國網球運動員的歡迎後，馬球運動員們也開始向他訂製這種運動衫。他們也厭倦了拘謹的長袖衫，喜歡上這種領子可以翻上來防止陽光曬傷脖子的新式運動衫。這種網球衫的大受歡迎，促使拉科斯特在1933年與當時法國最大的針織品公司的老闆安德烈•吉利耶合作，成立了名為「拉科斯特運動衫協會」的新公司，開始生產胸前繡有鱷魚標識的拉科斯特白色網球衫。
1951年，公司開始生產帶顏色的運動衫，擴大了其受歡迎程度。20世紀60年代，拉科斯特服裝生產線擴展到其他領域，如鞋帽和毛衣等等。今天，你在高爾夫球場、網球場，還有馬球場上，都可以看到鱷魚品牌的馬球衫。實際上，這個熟悉的小鱷魚已經成為現代男性衣櫥裡的主要品牌，不再局限於運動員了。它依然和以往一樣受到普通大眾的強烈喜愛。
（來源：英語學習雜誌）