Lacoste

The crocodile emblem that defines Lacoste originated from a nickname: René Lacoste, the French tennis champion who won seven Grand Slam titles in the 1920s, was called “the crocodile” by the American press for his tenacious court play. In 1929, Lacoste partnered with knitwear manufacturer André Gillier to produce the breathable piqué polo shirt he had designed for his own competition use, founding a brand whose most recognizable product has remained in continuous production for nearly a century. Headquartered in Paris, Lacoste is majority-owned by the Swiss Maus family through Maus Frères SA, which holds the controlling stake of MF Brands Group, the holding company that acquired the Lacoste business across multiple transactions through the 2000s.

The product range spans men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel anchored by the iconic L.12.12 polo, footwear, leather goods, watches (under license), and fragrance (under license), occupying the premium-sportswear segment above mainstream athletic brands and below full luxury houses. Thierry Guibert has served as Chief Executive of Lacoste since 2015, leading the brand through sustained international expansion and the refinement of the lifestyle sportswear positioning that distinguishes Lacoste from both pure athletic competitors and heritage luxury fashion maisons. The brand has cultivated a licensing and franchise structure in several Asian markets, complementing directly operated retail in the US, Europe, and Canada.

Across regional and super-regional centers, Lacoste is present in the United States as the dominant market, France as the home market, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Thailand, India, Singapore, and the Middle East. Mall placements include positions at Aventura Mall, Lenox Square, and leading French retail destinations. For mall operators, Lacoste is a Class A specialty tenant typically taking 120 to 250 square meters, fitting the premium-sportswear cluster alongside Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and similar heritage sports-lifestyle brands. The brand’s multi-region presence and consistent store-format standards make it a reliable co-tenancy anchor for lifestyle-center and upper-Class-B+ regional center positioning.