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What’s This About
Lacoste polos cost more because the price covers good cotton piqué and trims, the brand’s own French factory for one line, sports partnerships, shops and advertising, and a premium for the crocodile logo.
This guide explains what a Lacoste price pays for and how to judge whether a Lacoste polo is worth it to you, such as
Which costs improve the shirt and which only build the brand name
Dated US prices for the L.12.12 and Made in France polos
Where Lacoste clothing is made, and why the sewn-in label matters
Limited editions such as the 2018 Save Our Species polos
Simple outfits that make a plain Lacoste polo easy to wear
and many more!
A high price and a famous logo do not prove quality, so judge each Lacoste garment on its fabric, making, fit and how often you will wear it.
Key Points
01The Original L.12.12 polo was $115 on Lacoste’s US site on 6 October 2026, and the Made in France polo was $165.
02Lacoste states that its Made in France line is made in its Troyes factory; press reports say much of the other clothing is made by outside factories, so check the label.
03Sponsorship, collaborations, shops and advertising are paid for out of the price but do not make the shirt last longer.
04A plain polo with a small crocodile, bought at a fair price and worn often, gives the most value for money.
A Lacoste polo shirt costs noticeably more than a plain polo from a high-street shop.
On 6 October 2026, the Men’s Classic Fit Original L.12.12 polo was $115 on Lacoste’s US site, and the Made in France version was $165.
That price pays for several costs at once, covering the cotton and trims, where and how the shirt is made, the brand’s design and sports partnerships, its shops and advertising, and the margin a well-known brand can charge for its crocodile.
This guide explains each of those costs from dated sources, separates what improves the shirt from what only builds the name, and ends with clear criteria for deciding whether a Lacoste garment is worth its price to you.
If your question is whether Lacoste counts as a luxury brand at all, read our separate guide on whether Lacoste is still a luxury brand.
The Short Answer to Why Lacoste Costs More
Lacoste does not publish a cost breakdown for its polos, so nobody outside the company can say exactly how much of the price is cotton, labour or profit.
What can be said is which costs a brand like Lacoste carries that a basic polo maker usually does not.
Materials are 100% cotton petit piqué and, on the L.12.12, mother-of-pearl buttons, according to Lacoste.
Making. The Made in France line comes from Lacoste’s own factory in Troyes, while much of the other clothing is made by outside factories in several countries.
Brand building means tennis sponsorship, collaborations, limited editions, advertising and its own shops.
Pricing power. A recognisable logo lets a brand charge more than the shirt alone would cost to make.
Only the first two make the shirt itself better, so they deserve the closest look before you buy.
The Value of 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 this way, with L for Lacoste, 1 for petit piqué, 2 for short sleeves and 12 because the version chosen was the twelfth prototype.
The shirt later became a familiar garment of American preppy style, the campus look described in our guide to Ivy League style, and it appears often in pictures of the old money aesthetic.
In France, the polo is a familiar garment of the Bon Chic Bon Genre (BCBG) style, usually worn with chinos and loafers.
These associations are style labels, not facts about the people who wear the shirt.
A polo says nothing about anyone’s income or background, and the old money look is a contemporary label for classic dressing that anyone can wear.
Heritage matters to many buyers, and it is one reason people pay more for the crocodile.
On its own, though, heritage does not make a shirt better made.
Lacoste has offered its polo in a wide range of colours since the 1950s, according to its history, and colour has been central to the range ever since.
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Lacoste now sells far more than polos, from knitwear and outerwear to trainers, and it also shows a runway collection at Paris Fashion Week.
That runway line is ready-to-wear, not haute couture, which is a protected term in France for made-to-order clothing from a small group of approved houses.
Materials and What the Cotton Pays For
Lacoste lists the Original L.12.12 polo as 100% cotton petit piqué, a textured knit that lets air through and suits warm weather.
The same product page lists mother-of-pearl buttons, which cost more than the plastic buttons used on many cheaper polos.
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Gentleman’s Gazette, reviewing several Lacoste polos in May 2021 (updated August 2023), found consistent workmanship and colours that held up well, but noted that only the classic fit had mother-of-pearl buttons and that the shirts ran small and short.
That review site carries commercial links, so treat it as one informed opinion rather than a test.
Lacoste’s other clothing uses a wide range of fabrics, from wool coats to technical sportswear, so read the label of the exact garment you are considering.
In February 2021, FashionUnited reported the launch of the Lacoste Loop Polo, made from recycled cotton and recycled polyester.
Recycled fibres can cost more to source and process, but Lacoste does not publish how much that adds to the price.
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Where Lacoste Clothing Is Made
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 much of Lacoste’s other clothing is made by outside factories in Asia, the Americas and other European countries.
In the Gentleman’s Gazette review, six of the seven polos examined were made in Peru and one in France.
The sewn-in label is therefore the place to check, because the country of manufacture varies by range and season.
Country of origin does not prove quality on its own, but a European-made garment usually carries higher labour costs, which is one reason the Made in France polo costs more.
On the classic polo, the crocodile is an embroidered badge sewn onto the chest.
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Design, Sport and Collaborations
Lacoste keeps its tennis roots visible through its own collections and through the athletes it sponsors.
Tennis Now reported on 22 May 2017 that Novak Djokovic had signed with Lacoste, and FashionUnited reported in August 2021 that the partnership had been renewed.
Lacoste also releases collaborations, such as its collections with the skate brand Supreme, which began in spring 2017 according to Complex.
Collaborations and athlete contracts cost money and keep the brand in the news, which helps it hold its prices.
Those costs build the name; they do not change how a standard polo is made.
If you like Lacoste’s sportier collaborations, our guide to what streetwear is explains where that look comes from.
Limited Editions
Limited editions are another way Lacoste adds interest and charges more for selected polos.
In 2018, Lacoste and the International Union for Conservation of Nature replaced the crocodile with ten endangered species on a limited run of 1,775 polos, with the number of each design matching the estimated wild population, as NBC Palm Springs reported on 5 June 2018.
The vaquita porpoise design, for example, was limited to 30 shirts, and the report said the collection sold out soon after release.
For the brand’s 80th anniversary in 2013, designer Peter Saville created a Holiday Collector edition of the L.12.12 with reworked crocodile emblems, limited to 80 polos for men and 80 for women, as Prolific North reported on 9 July 2013.
Limited editions sell partly on rarity, so their prices tell you about demand rather than about a better shirt.
If you buy one, buy it because you like the design, not as a financial investment.
Paying for the Crocodile
The crocodile is a widely recognised logo, and that recognition is a large reason Lacoste can charge more than an unbranded polo of similar cotton.
Famous people wearing the polo keep that recognition high, but they add nothing to how long a shirt lasts.
Lacoste also runs its own shops, advertising campaigns and runway shows, and all of those are paid for out of the price on the tag.
Paying for a logo is a fair choice if you like it.
Just be clear that this share of the price buys recognition rather than better fabric or stitching.
How Long Does a Lacoste Polo Last?
We have not tested Lacoste garments ourselves, and buyers’ reports of how long the polos last are mixed.
Petit piqué is a sturdy knit, and the Gentleman’s Gazette review notes that Lacoste light-tests its colours against fading.
How long any cotton polo lasts depends heavily on care, and washing at a low temperature, drying it flat and avoiding the tumble dryer all help a knit keep its shape.
Classic colours and a small logo also stay wearable for longer than trend-led designs, which matters more for value than the label.
Lacoste polos were a common sight in 1980s casual dress too, as our guide to 1980s style shows, and plain designs from that era still look familiar today.
Buying fewer, longer-lasting clothes is the idea behind slow fashion, but only if you wear the garment often.
The Cost of Responsible Manufacturing
Lacoste calls its corporate responsibility strategy “Durable Elegance” and publishes its commitments and reports on its corporate website.
Lacoste joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s network as a partner in July 2021, according to the foundation.
Supplier audits, traceability and recycled materials add costs, but Lacoste does not publish how much they add to each polo.
If responsible production matters to you, read the brand’s own reports and compare them with other brands you are considering, rather than assuming a higher price means fairer production.
Is a Lacoste Polo Worth the Price?
It depends on which Lacoste garment you mean and what you want from it.
Use these criteria before you buy.
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 fibre content and country of manufacture on the sewn-in label.
For fit, try the exact fit on, because the classic, regular and slim fits differ, and reviewers have found Lacoste sizes run small and short.
Details. Look at the collar, the buttons, the stitching at the side vents and the density of the piqué.
On price, compare the full price with outlet and sale prices, and with polos of similar cotton from other brands.
Use. Count honestly how often you would wear it, and with how many of your existing outfits.
On balance, a plain Lacoste polo is a good-quality cotton shirt sold at a premium over the high street, and some of that premium pays for the name rather than the shirt.
It is worth it if you like the fit and the look and will wear it often, ideally bought at a reduced price.
It is harder to justify if you only want a well-made plain polo, because similar cotton and making are available without the logo for less.
How to Wear a Lacoste Polo
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 navy polo tucked into stone chinos, with a brown leather belt and brown suede loafers, and a cream cable-knit jumper over the shoulders when it is cool.
Wear a green polo, dark straight jeans, white leather trainers and a navy cotton jacket, for a relaxed weekend.
Our guide to how to wear a Lacoste polo shirt has more outfits.
Styling Beyond Lacoste
Choosing a brand is only one step, and you do not need any particular label to dress well.
Fit, colour and the occasion matter more, and our guide to styling by occasion, location, season and time of day explains how to adapt the same garments, footwear and accessories to different settings.
For a quieter, classic look, see our guides to the old money style and to heritage brands favoured by very wealthy buyers.
Take our three quizzes, then book a consultation if you would like personal help.
1. Check Your Body Shape
Our guide to dressing for your body shape explains how cut and proportion affect the way clothes look, and you can check your body shape with our body shape quiz for men.
2. Find Your Seasonal Colours
Our guide to seasonal colour analysis explains the idea, and our seasonal colour quiz for men suggests colours for your outfits.
3. Find Your Fashion Style
Our guide to personal fashion style describes the main styles, and our fashion style quiz for men suggests a style with outfit ideas.
None of the quizzes is required to wear the outfits above.
Personal Help From The VOU
Our styling services for men are run by The VOU’s image consultants and fashion stylists.
Our styling services for men are paid consultations; the shop page lists what each one includes.
You can read more about The VOU, or contact us with questions.
Lacoste Similar Articles
Is Lacoste Still Considered a Luxury Brand?
How to Wear Lacoste Polo Shirt
Sources
Lacoste, brand history (1928 short-sleeved shirt, 1933 founding with André Gillier, the L.12.12 name, coloured polos from the 1950s).
Lacoste US, Original L.12.12 and Made in France polo product pages, prices checked 6 October 2026.
Lacoste, Made in France collection (Troyes factory) and corporate “Durable Elegance” pages.
Gentleman’s Gazette, Lacoste polo shirt review, 7 May 2021, updated 30 August 2023.
FashionUnited, Lacoste launches eco-friendly Loop Polo, 22 February 2021; Lacoste renews partnership with Novak Djokovic, August 2021.
Tennis Now, Novak Djokovic is Lacoste’s new crocodile, 22 May 2017.
Complex, Supreme and Lacoste collaboration, March 2017.
NBC Palm Springs, Lacoste replaces its crocodile logo for Save Our Species, 5 June 2018.
Prolific North, Saville rethinks crocodile logo for Lacoste anniversary range, 9 July 2013.
Ellen MacArthur Foundation, five fashion companies join the Foundation’s network as partners, 28 July 2021.
Philippine Daily Inquirer Lifestyle, “PH is benchmark for Lacoste’s Southeast Asia market”, 1 July 2016 (Troyes factory and reported outsourcing of much clothing production).