Start here
What’s This About
Lacoste is a premium sportswear brand with a long tennis heritage rather than a traditional luxury house, although its Made in France line and runway collection come closer to luxury.
This guide checks Lacoste against clear criteria and explains how to wear it for a classic look, such as
The four criteria we use, which are materials, construction and origin, price band and distribution
The brand’s history, from René Lacoste’s 1928 short-sleeved shirt to the 1933 company
Where Lacoste clothing is made, and why the sewn-in label matters
Dated US prices for the L.12.12 polo and the Made in France polo
Whether a small crocodile logo fits a quiet luxury look
Four outfits that pair Lacoste polos and knitwear with tailoring
and many more!
Price, heritage and a logo do not prove quality, so judge each Lacoste garment on its fabric, making and fit.
Key Points
01The core L.12.12 polo was $115 on Lacoste’s US site on 6 October 2026, above the high street and well below luxury houses.
02Lacoste states that its Made in France line is made in its Troyes factory, so check the label on other garments.
03Wide distribution and outlet discounts are the main reasons Lacoste is not usually seen as exclusive.
04A plain polo with a small crocodile, worn with a blazer and loafers, is the easiest way to use Lacoste in a classic outfit.
Lacoste is best described as a premium sportswear brand with a long tennis heritage, rather than a luxury house in the traditional sense.
Its core polo shirts cost more than most high-street polos but far less than the polos sold by luxury fashion houses, and it is sold very widely, including through outlet stores.
Its Made in France line and its runway collection sit closer to luxury on materials, making and price, so the honest answer depends on which Lacoste garment you are looking at.
This guide sets out the criteria we use, checks Lacoste against each one, and explains how to wear the brand if you like a classic, Old Money-inspired look.
How we judge whether a brand is luxury
There is no official definition of a luxury fashion brand, so we use four practical criteria that a buyer can check.
Scroll horizontally to see all columns →
| Criterion | What to look for | Lacoste, checked 6 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | Fabric weight, fibre and trims stated on the label or product page. | The L.12.12 polo is 100% cotton petit piqué with mother-of-pearl buttons, according to Lacoste. |
| Construction and origin | Where and how the garment is made, and whether that is disclosed. | The Made in France line is made in Lacoste’s historic factory in Troyes; most other ranges do not state their origin on the product page, so read the garment label. |
| Price band | Where prices sit between high-street and luxury labels. | The Original L.12.12 polo was $115 on Lacoste’s US site; the Made in France polo was $165. |
| Distribution | How widely the brand is sold and how often it is discounted. | Sold widely through Lacoste shops, other retailers and outlet stores. |
Heritage matters to many buyers, but on its own it does not make a garment better made.
Price does not prove quality either, so each criterion is worth checking separately.
Lacoste’s heritage
René Lacoste was a French tennis champion whose nickname, “the crocodile”, came from the American press in the 1920s, according to the brand’s own history.
Lacoste says he played the 1928 French championship final in a short-sleeved shirt that broke with the long-sleeved tennis dress of the time.
The company was founded in 1933 by René Lacoste and André Gillier, an industrialist who helped develop the knit of the shirt.
Lacoste explains the name L.12.12 as L for Lacoste, 1 for petit piqué, 2 for short sleeves and 12 because the version chosen was the twelfth prototype.
Lacoste describes the crocodile on its shirts as the first logo shown on the outside of a garment.
The polo moved from tennis courts to golf courses and everyday casual wear, and Lacoste added coloured polos in 1951.
For many readers the polo is now a standard preppy garment, and our guide to how to wear a Lacoste polo shirt covers it in detail.
Since 2012 Lacoste has been fully owned by Maus Frères, the Swiss family group that bought the remaining shares from the Lacoste family that year.
Lacoste also shows a runway collection at Paris Fashion Week.
Highsnobiety reported in October 2024 that creative director Pelagia Kolotouros was moving that line towards tailoring and higher prices, with runway polos at about $280.
That runway line is where Lacoste’s prices come closest to luxury, while the core polos and trainers remain premium rather than luxury.
Materials and where Lacoste is made
The brand’s reputation rests on its polo shirts.
Lacoste lists the Original L.12.12 as 100% cotton petit piqué with mother-of-pearl buttons, and petit piqué is a textured knit that breathes well in warm weather.
The brand’s tennis knitwear, such as cable-knit jumpers and sleeveless jumpers with striped V-necks, draws on the same sporting history.
Where a Lacoste garment is made varies by range.
Lacoste’s Made in France line is made in its historic factory in Troyes, which the brand says has operated since 1933.
Press coverage of the Troyes factory has reported that Lacoste outsources much of its other clothing to factories in Asia, the Americas and elsewhere in France and Europe.
The standard L.12.12 product page we checked did not state a country of manufacture, so the sewn-in label is the place to check before you buy.
Country of origin does not by itself prove quality, but it tells you which range you are buying.
Buyers’ reports of how long Lacoste polos last are mixed, and we have not tested garments ourselves.
If durability matters to you, compare fabric weight, collar construction and the care label in a shop, and keep the receipt in case the garment does not hold its shape.
On sustainability, Lacoste joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s network as a partner in July 2021, and our guide to sustainable fashion explains what to look for in any brand.
Lacoste’s price band
On 6 October 2026, the Men’s Classic Fit Original L.12.12 polo was $115 on Lacoste’s US site.
The photo shows an earlier price tag; prices change, so check the current listing.
On the same day, the Made in France Classic Fit polo was $165, and Lacoste’s men’s trainers in the US ranged from about $98 to $190.
Those prices sit above most high-street brands and well below the polos and knitwear of traditional luxury houses.
That places Lacoste alongside other premium heritage labels, such as those in our guide to affordable brands for a quiet luxury look.
Some Lacoste garments carry a large crocodile or bold branding, which suits a sporty look more than a classic menswear style.
Distribution is the clearest difference from traditional luxury.
Lacoste sells through its own shops, department stores, online retailers and outlet stores, where past-season stock is often discounted.
Wide availability and frequent discounts make Lacoste easier to buy, but they are also why many people do not see it as exclusive.
For a reader on a budget, that is useful, because you can buy a well-known polo or jumper without luxury prices, and style it as streetwear or as a modern Old Money look.
For a fuller explanation of the price, see our article on why Lacoste is so expensive.
Is Lacoste quiet luxury?
Quiet luxury usually means well-made clothes with little or no visible branding.
Lacoste does not fit that description exactly, because the crocodile is a visible logo.
The crocodile on a classic polo is small, though, and many people read it as a sports emblem rather than a loud designer logo, unlike the large-logo designs some brands are known for, as we discuss in Old Money versus new money style.
How people see Lacoste also varies by country, age group and social circle, and the brand has at times been linked with youth and street fashion as well as with tennis clubs.
No garment tells other people about your income, background or character, so choose Lacoste because you like the fit and the look, not to signal status.
Burberry has had a similar mix of associations in the UK, as our article on why Burberry is so expensive explains.
Influencers and Old Money fashion accounts often show Lacoste polos with tailoring, which is one reason the brand appears in current aesthetic trends.
Trends change, so a plain polo in a colour you already wear will stay useful longer than a trend-led design.
How to wear Lacoste for a classic look
Plain colours, a small crocodile and a good fit do most of the work.
Wear a white piqué polo, a navy blazer, mid-grey wool trousers and brown penny loafers, for a smart-casual lunch or office on a warm day.
Wear a cream cable-knit tennis jumper over a light blue oxford shirt, stone chinos and brown suede loafers, for a weekend in spring or autumn.
Wear a navy polo, a brown tweed blazer, dark brown trousers and dark brown leather shoes, for a cooler evening.
Choose a brown or tan suit, a dark knitted polo or zip-neck and clean white leather trainers, for a relaxed occasion where a tie would feel too formal.
If you are unsure what to buy first, a white or navy polo fits into most classic wardrobe staples and a capsule wardrobe.
Polos and blazers also suit preppy style, and similar outfits appear in our guide to dressing smartly every day.
How Lacoste compares with similar brands
Ralph Lauren’s Polo line and Brooks Brothers sell polos in a similar price band, and each has its own fit and fabric.
Our articles on whether Polo Ralph Lauren is a luxury brand and on what to buy from Brooks Brothers use similar criteria.
Try the brands on if you can, because fit and fabric feel matter more than the logo.
A buying checklist for Lacoste
Range. Check whether the garment is from the main range, the Made in France line or the runway collection, because prices and making differ.
Label. Read the country of manufacture and the fibre content on the sewn-in label.
Fit. Lacoste sells classic, regular and slim fits, so compare the shoulder seam and length with a polo that already fits you.
Price. Compare the full price with outlet and sale prices, and with polos from similar brands.
Logo size. Choose a small crocodile if you want a quieter, classic look.
Is Lacoste still a luxury brand? The verdict
By the criteria above, the core Lacoste range is premium rather than luxury, because the materials are good, the prices sit between the high street and luxury houses, and the brand is sold very widely.
The Made in France line and the runway collection come closer to luxury, at higher prices.
Whether Lacoste is worth it for you depends on the garment, its fit and how often you will wear it, not on what the logo might say about you.
For a classic look, a plain polo or tennis jumper worn with tailoring is the most useful way to wear the brand, and our guide to building your personal style can help you decide whether it suits you.
Common questions about Lacoste
Q. Is Lacoste a luxury brand?
Its core range is better described as premium; the Made in France line and runway collection are priced closer to luxury.
Q. Are Lacoste polos made in France?
The Made in France line is made in Troyes; for other polos, check the sewn-in label, because Lacoste uses factories in several countries.
Q. Is Lacoste Old Money?
“Old Money” is a style label, not a brand list, and a plain Lacoste polo can fit that look when worn with classic tailoring.
Q. Who owns Lacoste?
Maus Frères, a Swiss family group, has owned all of Lacoste since buying the Lacoste family’s remaining shares in 2012.
Related Lacoste guides
How to Wear Lacoste Polo Shirt
Find your style with The VOU
The VOU has three quizzes that can help you choose clothes and colours.
Our guide to menswear silhouettes and guide to dressing for your body shape explain the first quiz, where you can check your body shape.
Our guide to seasonal colour palettes for men explains the second, which suggests colours for your outfits. Use it to find your seasonal colours.
The third suggests a personal fashion style with outfit ideas, and you can take the fashion style quiz.
None of the quizzes is required to wear the outfits above.
If you would like personal help, you can book a consultation with The VOU’s image consultants and stylists through our styling services for men.
Our styling services for men are paid consultations; the shop page lists what each one includes.
Our guide to styling by occasion, location, season and time of day covers choosing clothes, garments and accessories.
Our articles explain what an image consultant does, what a personal stylist does and how to choose an image consultant.
For more on luxury brands, see our articles on luxury brands favoured by ultra-high-net-worth buyers and how logo-heavy luxury designs come across.
You can also contact The VOU with questions.
Sources
Lacoste, brand history (founding in 1933 by René Lacoste and André Gillier, the 1928 short-sleeved shirt, the L.12.12 name).
Lacoste, Made in France collection (made in the Troyes factory).
Lacoste US, polo listing and men’s shoe listing, prices checked 6 October 2026.
FashionUnited, Maus Frères acquires 100 percent of Lacoste, 16 November 2012.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation, five fashion companies join the Foundation’s network as partners, 28 July 2021.
Highsnobiety, Lacoste’s luxury repositioning, 9 October 2024.
Philippine Daily Inquirer Lifestyle, feature on the Troyes factory (reported outsourcing of most clothing production).