We talk Olympic wins and athleisure with the man behind court-to-catwalk brand, Lacoste
Among the pantheon of generic household names, Lacoste is right up there with Marks & Spencer and Heinz. A familiar sight in every pub or Tube carriage in London, a Crocodile-trimmed polo shirt is a uniform for the masses that’s instantly recognisable both on and off the tennis court. In essence, Lacoste is as massive as it is mainstream. At least, that was the case.
These days, having won over fashion circles to become the toast of New York Fashion Week and an unmissable part of the city’s biannual fashion showcase, Lacoste is no longer just a purveyor of “dad” polo shirts or unremarkable tennis kits but a major fashion player in its own right.
So much so in fact, that its collections have found their way off the sports field and into the wardrobes of the world’s super-stylish, with the brand’s ready-to-wear offering increasing in popularity alongside its athletically orientated L!VE and Sport lines.
The man behind this transformation is Felipe Oliveira Baptista, a fully-fledged fashion designer with two decades of experience. Born in Portugal in 1975, Baptista - a Kingston University graduate - enjoyed stints at MaxMara, Christophe Lemaire and Cerruti before catching the eye of Lacoste in 2010.
Among his early charges was the task of delighting both new and existing Lacoste customers with an increasingly fashion-forward approach while respecting the brand’s performance heritage.
In just a few short years the designer - who has a background in haute couture - has succeeded and is widely credited with injecting a much needed hit of modernity into the Lacoste label.
The emergence of “athleisure” - the trend that suggests it is thoroughly acceptable to live your life in workout gear - has only served to help his ascent to the top.
“It’s funny now it has a name,” says Baptista when we meet in Paris, “but we have been doing athleisure for years. What was once considered an outfit suitable for dress-down Friday is now for every day. I think it’s because we are a generation that grew up wearing sportswear.”
For Baptista, the emergence of technical clothing as reputable fashion fodder is not just a matter of taste but an indication of a change in society. “It’s not just a trend. I think it’s something which is a reflection of how people are living today. It’s about providing something which is very real and can improve people’s lives. It’s design from a much more pragmatic point of view,” he says.
Of course for Lacoste, this democratic approach to casualwear is defined as much by its customers as it is the fashion climate.
“We are a global brand so we tend to think of a more general customer - someone who is on the go and needs clothes which are no-brainer but at the same time chic, elegant and functional.”
Baptista’s understanding of the athleisure aesthetic - coupled with Lacoste’s sporting heritage - made him the obvious choice for the role of official outfitter for the French Olympic team for this year’s Games.
Following in the footsteps of founder René Lacoste - a keen tennis player, Olympic medallist and seven times singles grand slam winner - Baptista is under no illusions as to the importance of an athlete’s appearance.
In fact, René Lacoste’s belief that “without style, playing and winning are not enough” appear to have served as inspiration for the designer.
“It’s important to me that we design something special that [the athletes] still feel like themselves in. At the end of the day it’s their work, their performance and their tenacity which will make them win, but we can help to provide them with confidence.”
Baptista got his first taste of Olympic glory when Lacoste was chosen to design the outfits for France at the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014. This debut attempt received a warm reception from fashion critics and athletes alike.
“I was very proud of the first Olympics kit,” he says. “They were voted the best-dressed delegation.”
Baptista is aiming for similar success for Rio 2016 with a kit that flies the flag for France while maintaining a quiet air of Gallic sophistication. For the designs, which will be worn by athletes during the opening and closing ceremonies and on the podium, a palette of pristine white and navy blue with splashes of red adorn a collection of clean-cut macs, covetable hoodies and, of course, polo shirts. Even a translucent waterproof poncho looks chic in the hands of Lacoste.
“We worked in a very unisex theme,” says Baptista, “its sartorial but at the same time very comfortable. It was a challenge to create something that would suit everyone from all different sporting disciplines. When we designed the clothes they had to be very democratic.”
It is for this reason that Baptista’s designs are already proving popular among mere mortals, both on his home turf and across the Channel. His is certainly a winning formula.
We talk Olympic wins and athleisure with the man behind LacosteLacosteFelipe Oliveira BaptistaFrom court to catwalk, Lacoste is acing it