Ren¨¦ LACOSTE entered the legend of tennis when he and his team-mates "The Musketeers", stole the Davis Cup away from the Americans for the first time, in 1927. Not forgetting his 3 French Open victories (1925, 1927 and the ROLAND-GARROS stadium in 1929), his two victories in Great Britain (WIMBLEDON 1925 and 1928) and two U.S. OPEN titles at Forest Hills (1926 and 1927).
Ren¨¦ LACOSTE was born in France on 2nd July 1904 and died on 12th October 1996. The true story of the "Crocodile" begins in 1927. Ren¨¦ LACOSTE liked to recount how his nickname became an emblem recognized throughout the world.
I was nicknamed "the Alligator" by the American press, after I made a bet with the Captain of the French Davis Cup Team concerning a suitcase made from alligator skin. He promised to buy it for me if I won a very important match for our team. The public must have been fond of this nickname which conveyed the tenacity I displayed on the tennis courts, never letting go of my prey!"
"So my friend Robert GEORGE drew a 'crocodile' which I then had embroidered on the blazer I wore on the courts."
An attentive spectator at Ren¨¦ LACOSTE's Davis Cup matches was the winner of the BRITISH Womens golf title, Mademoiselle Simone THION de la CHAUME, who soon became his wife and constant support.
In 1933, Ren¨¦ LACOSTE and Andr¨¦ GILLIER, the owner and President of the largest French knitwear manufacturing firm of that time, set up a company to manufacture the logo-embroidered shirt. The champion had designed this for his own use on the tennis court, as well as a number of other shirts for tennis, golf and sailing - as can be seen in the first catalogue, produced in 1933.
To the best of our knowledge, this was the first time that a brand name appeared on the outside of an article of clothing - an idea which has since become extremely successful.
This shirt revolutionized mens sportswear and replaced the woven fabric, long-sleeved, starched classic shirts.The first LACOSTE shirt was white, slightly shorter than its counterparts, had a ribbed collar, short sleeves with ribbed bands and was made of a light knitted fabric called "Jersey petit piqu¨¦".
Today, it continues to offer the same quality, comfort and solidity on which it built its name and which constitute its uniqueness.
