Is the Lacoste Emblem an Alligator or Crocodile?

Is the Lacoste emblem an alligator or crocodile?

Is the emblem embroidered on the Lacoste piqué polo an alligator or a crocodile? If you read the preppy style manuals of the 1980s, you’ll remember that the Lacoste logo was referred to as an ‘alligator’. The Lacoste polo shirt became an essential item in the aspirational preppy style movement at the time – both for women and men. Wearing the lightweight and expensive piqué polo shirt gave you entry into wealthy social circles and demonstrated you had a sense of style. The ‘alligator’ name for the logo was particularly popular throughout North America.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t an alligator. It was a crocodile. There are several theories on how the crocodile name came to be – several encouraged by Rene Lacoste himself. To start, Lacoste was a methodical and tenacious player. He would study every aspect of his opponents style of play and make detailed notes. Then he would wait for his opponent to tire as the match progressed – making few mistakes himself. He literally just waited for them to make mistakes. This unusual style of play earned him the nickname ‘the crocodile’.

A keen businessman and marketer, Lacoste understood the power of branding and encouraged the press to use the nickname. He’s refer to himself as ‘le croc’ in interviews. As the name grew in popularity, he had a crocodile emblem embroidered on the white sports jackets he wore before matches. It was designer Robert Georges who sketched and sewed the first Lacoste logo in 1927. His creation made an impactful visual statement.

The second theory revolves around a tennis tournament in Boston in 1923 when René’s team captain noticed that Lacoste was admiring a crocodile leather suitcase in a shop window. He said, “Win the next match and I’ll buy it for you.” After a long, competitive match Rene sadly lost. The captain surprised him with the case and the press dubbed Lacoste ‘the crocodile’ based on the story.

Either way, the Lacoste crocodile has become a defining element of style in both tennis and fashion. It represents a French elegance to this day.

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