CORPORATE GIFTS

Lacoste Clothing

Founded in 1933 by tennis champion René Lacoste, whose on-court nickname was "the crocodile", the Lacoste lifestyle brand got its start selling one perfect polo-shirt with a signature crocodile emblem on the left breast. Today, Lacoste is a lifestyle brand renowned for quality, comfort and timeless elegance.

 

Over the years, the shirt and its iconic logo spawned many imitators and admirers. Designers and brands from diverse price points have taken to embroidering animals onto polo shirts: ponies (Ralph Lauren), marlins (Tommy Bahama), eagles (American Eagle), and even the crocodile itself! The Chinese-based company, Crocodile Garments, was locked in a legal battle with Lacoste over the rights to the crocodile for over a decade until, in 2003, Crocodile Garments conceded to changing its logo. According to CNN, the settlement stated that Crocodile Garments would “have a croc with a tail which rises more or less vertically and it has skin which is much more scaly. It also has bigger eyes.”

 

To learn more about the Lacoste brand, visit www.lacoste.com.