Early on in lockdown, Louise Trotter and the Lacoste team decided not to do a physical show in September. Instead, this week, Trotter unveiled a tight capsule of intriguing, reworked brand classics for the spring collection a la a digital look book and film, shot along the Parisian streets.
“I was attuned to create something that was almost like a fan-capsule, something people could enjoy and collect,” the Lacoste creative director explained over the phone. “It was built from a lot of things that are part of the passion people have for our brand.”
Trotter worked almost exclusively with leftover yarns and fabrics, as well as vintage Lacoste pieces she had been collecting, to develop the collection. Vintage parkas, old sweaters, sports shorts and jackets were upcycled into one-of-a-kind, new garments that will be available in limited quantities.
The collection melds Lacoste’s iconic brand emblems and sporty silhouettes with artisanal hand-craft and hand-knit appeal. The creative director also noted that the 20-look collection was created in a very localized way; working hand-in-hand with Lacoste’s original polo factory, located just outside of Paris, as well as with her local creative teams (individually and virtually in lockdown, and then together once quarantine lifted).
While some pieces will inherently be offered as limited-edition (playing up the idea of a fan-capsule), others will be produced in slightly larger quantities. For instance, a 200-piece capsule collaboration with Maison Lemarié that sits within the larger collection.
The famous Parisian plumassier artisans collaborated with the brand to produce a limited-edition crewneck featuring an artisanal version of Lacoste’s crocodile logo, rendered completely with archival garment tags. Offered in two colourways, the collaborative ready to wear is available for preorder for its December release
Overall, Trotter’s ability to weave Lacoste’s heritage into a new, sustainable collection made it one of her strongest for the brand.
