Lacoste x Miami Open

Lacoste celebrated ten years of partnership with the Miami Open presented by Itaú with a special collection, exclusive retail pop-ups and kiosks, and a VIP suite experience. The brand has evolved from humble beginnings championing the polo shirt to one of the most celebrated French maisons.

Two models wearing the new Lacoste x Miami Open collection celebrate the brand’s ten year partnership with the iconic Masters tournament. Made available via Lacoste. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Lacoste celebrated its ten year partnership with the Miami Open presented by Itaú last month with fresh kits, new retail pop-ups, and a prestigious dinner with the brand’s sponsored players. The Miami Open has recently seen a surge in popularity, setting a record attendance of 405,448. The luxury house has chosen the right time to capitalize on sportswear as tennis’ popularity continues to grow. 

For this year’s Open, Lacoste laid out an exclusive pop-up boutique as well as various retail kiosks across the grounds. A special Miami Open co-branded collection was offered alongside the brand’s traditional seasonal wear. The branded collection is a tribute to the Miami Open’s rich and vibrant history, playing with pops of bright colors and the cursive font synonymous with the Open on jackets, polos, t-shirts, tennis skirts and other apparel. 

Lacoste’s ten-year partnership with the Miami Open presented by Itaú collection is a tribute to the tournament’s cultural vibrancy and colorful heritage. Made available via Lacoste. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

The collection itself was nothing short of a classic example of vintage modernity. Much of the brand’s sportswear is rooted in the polo style popularized by French tennis player René Lacoste. In 1933, Lacoste revolutionized tennis gear by bringing lightweight polo shirts made with petit piqué cotton to the courts in favor of the thicker shirts most players wore at the time. That same year, he founded his brand, Lacoste, alongside André Gillier: the first brand to feature a logo in the form of the iconic green crocodile aptly taken from Lacoste’s nickname on court. 

This year’s Miami Open collection as worn by Lacoste’s brand ambassadors embodied vintage style with modern luxury. Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Grigor Dimitrov were outfitted in custom kits in the brand’s signature green and white, with Dimitrov’s edged in pastel pink across the shoulders. Each features a sleek fitting polo in vibrant colors with minimalist color blocks. Simple yet elegant, the custom kits are the epitome of René Lacoste’s original 1930’s polo with a touch of modern edge embedded in the design.

ATP tennis players Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev and Grigor Dimitrov wear Lacoste custom kits while WTA player Ekaterina Reyngol wears a mainline white tennis dress for Lacoste’s 10 year partnership with the Miami Open campaign. Made available via Lacoste. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Lacoste’s mainline tennis kits are as pleasing to the eye as the custom ones. WTA player Ekaterina Reyngol models a simple, white tennis dress reminiscent of 1970s tennis dress styles once worn by famed American tennis player Chris Evert. The dress has just a touch of detailing, with thin pleats along the skirt and a slight mesh fabric along the collarbones, that add onto the kit’s elegance. The men’s kit is a slight twist of Dimitrov’s custom, although instead of pink, the brand went with a bright blue in honor of the Open’s renowned blue courts. 

The French maison has set itself apart from other tennis brands, rooting itself within the veins of court style while maintaining far-reaching influence in the world of luxury. Lacoste has opened tennis to high fashion and vice versa, bringing runway to Court Philippe-Chatrier at Roland Garros in Paris, France as seen in this year’s collection. The brand’s AW25 collection was designed by creative director Pelagia Kolotouros in honor of Lacoste’s on-court heritage. The collection was a love letter to sportswear as models walked a runway evoking the familiar clay that lined Roland Garros’ courts. 

Models walk down a modified runway held in Roland Garros in Paris, France for Lacoste’s Autumn Winter Collection at Paris Fashion Week. Made available via Lacoste. © All rights belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

Puffer coats in white and beige were pivotal, alongside structured tracksuits featuring the brand’s favorite polo in shades of brown. Khakis and knits were a staple throughout, combining high fashion favorites in class sports silhouettes. Layering was another important motif as models with double-layered gloves opened the show while others wore black mesh tops and skirts over neutral tones, which were a key contrast to the rich purple and dark green ensembles that walked later in the show. And of course, the star of the collection: embellished crocodile motifs on two shirts near the end of the runway. 

It was a stunning look into how the brand has evolved from light-fitting polo shirts to a world renowned luxury house infamous for its classic tennis silhouettes and high-end collections. It's also a revelation into how a tennis brand has grown into one of the most beloved labels in fashion. A question now emerges of whether or not other tennis brands like ASICS or On would be able to follow a similar formula to establish a higher standing in the realm of high fashion.