An inspirational new footwear design project, LACOSTE Legends brings together 12 legendary collaborators from the worlds of music, media, design and retail, to create an exclusive collection comprising 12 shoes.Sharing the Lacoste values of tenacity, authenticity, modernity and effortless style, together the 12 contributors are the LACOSTE Legends.
Each of the 12 designers was invited to create a unique interpretation of a LACOSTE footwear style, and pay homage to the spirit of René Lacoste and the iconic L.12.12 Polo.
Fusing the collection together, each shoe has a tongue crafted from petit piqué cotton, incorporating a woven LACOSTE-branded tab finished with a mother-of-pearl button, referencing the intricate detailing found on the L.12.12 Polo.
The 12 designs reflect the broadly diverse personalities and creative talents of each of the contributors, and confirm their legendary status as the foremost trend-setters and opinion-leaders from across the globe.
American designer Tim Hamilton has redesigned the classic 1963 René Lacoste style. His influences for this design come from high-ankle military boots, and reflect elements from Tim’s Redux line whose vision is to marry function with form.
The proportions of a military boot are maintained by extending the panelling of the existing René Lacoste style in an upward direction, multiplying the eyelets and keeping the piping details from the original style. The resulting design is a ground-breaking evolution for the classic René Lacoste 1963.
In keeping with his Redux collection, which in 2010 incorporated tar-dipped boots, Hamilton chooses to use a garment-dyed canvas that gives the shoes unique feel. Round laces complete what is a simple yet functional take on a time-honoured LACOSTE classic shoe.
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Legends
The story of Legends begins with René Lacoste. Reigning tennis champion of the 1920s known as ‘The Crocodile’ for his on-court tenacity, René was a true legend of his time.
Famed for his sportsmanship, his spiritedness, elegance and enduring sense of style, René went on to found the eponymous LACOSTE brand that over 75 years later still bears the much-beloved crocodile emblem.
As a prolific inventor off the tennis court, René created the ubiquitous L12.12 Polo Shirt, utilising state-of-the-art technology to craft it from breathable cotton known as petit piqué. To this day the Polo Shirt remains an icon of the brand, synonymous with quality and style.
Inspired by the legacy of René and the LACOSTE tradition of innovation, the story lives on through the Legends footwear concept that unites 12 contemporary Legends to pay homage to the great man and the iconic L12.12 Polo.
The 12 LACOSTE Legends are:
Jazzie B
Sebastien Tellier
Stones Throw
ato
Christophe Lemaire
Tim Hamilton
Sneaker Freaker
i-D
Shoes Master
Bodega
D-Mop
colette
Photos & text Copyright Lacoste, Courtesy Surgery PR.
