Lacoste has officially set its sights on expanding its iconic tennis sportswear into a fully-fledged lifestyle brand with its Spring/Summer 2025 (SS25) collection. Led by creative director Pelagia Kolotouros, the collection debuted at Paris Fashion Week with a refreshing take on the brand’s rich history. Kolotouros drew inspiration from René Lacoste, the brand’s founder, by blending elements of classic sportswear with modern twists to create something that feels both nostalgic and forward-thinking.
In this collection, Kolotouros imagined what one might discover in their grandfather’s attic—an array of “artifacts from the past” that represent Lacoste’s heritage. Models carried key bunches, hinting at this theme of unlocking a new era for the brand. This notion of discovery is central to the designs, which blend the elegance of 1920s sportswear with modern, elevated fabrics.
The runway show featured a range of pieces that portrayed contrasts between old and new, particularly through fabric choices. The show offered a series of nostalgic yet refreshed designs, from backless vests and high-waisted shorts that mirrored René Lacoste’s beachwear from the 1920s to elevated tracksuits made from fabrics like viscose-spiked piqué and terry toweling. These fabrics were Lacoste staples, yet they appeared in innovative styles like roomy suiting and chic contemporary tracksuits.
The collection’s accessories stood out too, with tennis netting details on bags and playful shirts featuring large crocodile prints. These designs, combined with the visual narrative of unlocking Lacoste’s legacy, suggested Kolotouros is opening new doors for the brand. While she’s still experimenting with the direction she wants to take, her work is laying the foundation for Lacoste’s modern evolution.
This collection showcased Kolotouros’s ambition to move Lacoste beyond its traditional tennis roots, establishing it as a lifestyle brand without straying too far from its origins. Whether through cheeky details like mega-croc logos or innovative cuts, Lacoste’s SS25 collection set the tone for a bolder, more experimental phase in the brand’s evolution.
This reimagining of Lacoste seeks to balance the brand’s storied past with a modern sensibility, positioning it for growth in the competitive world of high-fashion sportswear. Though Kolotouros is still honing in on her exact vision for Lacoste, she’s laying the groundwork for a promising future.