Let it snow
A familiar new look: Lacoste's latest collection keeps it classic and classy,with a touch of sporty style
NEW YORK — Once a stuffy old brand, Lacoste has made a comeback in recent years, just as its alligator emblem has grown bigger and shown up on clothing in dozens of different ways.
Under the guidance of designer Felipe Oliveira Baptista, Lacoste remains sporty but has grown hipper looking, too. The Lacoste fall 2012 collection, shown during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week with large rectangular snow globes bisecting the audience, was a winter wonderland of cool styles that you'd be tempted to wear even if you didn't come anywhere close to the slopes.
Baptista looked to the styles created by Lacoste for the 1966 French ski team and mountain challet photos from the 1930s featuring founder René Lacoste and his family as inspiration for his second Lacoste runway collection.
He updated knits and tweeds in space-age fabrics that range in shapes from form-fitting sweater dresses and matching leggings to large egg-like parkas with a rounded edge. Raw seams and zippers add an urban touch. The sleeves of several dresses in fabrics ranging from colorful tweeds to black leather zip open to create a cape-like cocoon.
In menswear looks, ski sweaters feature rows of crocodiles along the arms and nifty coats are quilted to add texture.
The fabrics throughout the collection are so light that layering never looked so good. Makes me wish for a cold spell in Texas.
See the Lacoste fall 2012 collection - and the snow globes: