As tennis becomes a lifestyle, how can LACOSTE sustain its appeal?

Tennis is moving beyond the court and into a much broader consumer market. According to China’s Tennis Administrative Center under the General Administration of Sport, the country’s tennis-playing population reached 25.19 million as of August 31, 2024, up 28.03% from 2021. As participation grows, the sport is becoming part of everyday life. From urban courts to daily wardrobes, tennis is increasingly as much about fashion, social life and lifestyle as it is about competition. For LACOSTE, the French brand with nearly a century of tennis heritage, the current boom reinforces the relevance of its sporting roots — while opening new room to push further into fashion and lifestyle. On October 22, LACOSTE brought its Fall-Winter 2026 show to Shanghai Guangfulin Park. The collection had first appeared seven months earlier during Paris Fashion Week, on Court Philippe-Chatrier at Roland-Garros, home of the French Open. Creative director Pelagia Kolotouros drew on a rain-soaked match played by founder René Lacoste in Deauville in 1923. But rather than focus only on the athlete, she shifted her attention beyond the court, using the changing dress of tennis spectators across generations to reconsider the relationship between tennis culture and the contemporary wardrobe. Seven months later, that rain-soaked match was reimagined in Shanghai. LACOSTE transformed the Guangfulin site into the suggestion of a rain-drenched tennis court. The runway unfolded along the water, with Jiangnan stone bridges wrapped in clay-colored fabric set against the park’s sharply contemporary museum architecture. At sunset, rust-red reflections spread across the water, carrying an echo of rain at Roland-Garros into Shanghai and placing French tennis heritage in dialogue with an ancient Chinese landscape. It was also the first time since Kolotouros took the creative helm that LACOSTE had presented a full seasonal runway collection outside Paris. The Shanghai show also narrowed the distance between runway and retail. That day, LACOSTE used a “see now, buy now” livestream to release selected pieces from a co-created show collection with global ambassador Wang Yibo, allowing viewers to shop as they watched the show. Guangfulin is not the first Chinese cultural landmark LACOSTE has used as a stage. In 2023, the brand created a temporary “LACOSTE CITY” in Aranya, Qinhuangdao, combining a seaside clay tennis court with art spaces and community programming in an attempt to bring tennis culture into younger consumers’ everyday lives. A year later, LACOSTE took a tennis court to Juyongguan on the Great Wall, bringing GOAT Novak Djokovic together with global ambassador Wang Yibo. Against one of China’s most recognizable landmarks, professional sport met contemporary youth culture. From Aranya to the Great Wall and now Guangfulin, a pattern has emerged in LACOSTE’s choice of cultural settings in China: a French tennis core is being placed within local contexts of culture, art and lifestyle. China is no longer simply a market receiving the brand’s story. Increasingly, it is becoming a place where that story is made. That strategy points to a larger question for LACOSTE. As more brands enter the tennis space, tennis heritage alone is no longer enough to secure a lasting advantage. The challenge is to turn nearly a century of sporting history into products, aesthetics and cultural relevance that contemporary consumers can feel — and to expand the brand’s role in sports fashion and lifestyle. Jing Daily speaks with LACOSTE chief executive Thierry Guibert and creative director Pelagia Kolotouros about how the nearly century-old French brand is translating its deep tennis heritage into lasting relevance across contemporary fashion and lifestyle. Heritage is a starting point, not a destination Jing Daily: As the boundaries between sport and fashion continue to blur, how does LACOSTE draw on nearly a century of heritage to maintain a distinct competitive edge? Thierry Guibert: What makes LACOSTE distinctive is that sport and fashion have always been inseparable parts of the brand’s DNA. This is not a positioning we adopted in response to a market trend; it has been there from the beginning. René Lacoste was not only a tennis champion, but also an innovator willing to challenge convention. In 1933, he introduced the polo shirt, turning a functional piece of sportswear into something that combined comfort with elegance. That instinct to break with convention remains an important force behind LACOSTE today. From the crocodile and the polo shirt to its deep ties to tennis, these recognizable codes, together with the values of its founder, form a heritage that is difficult to replicate. But heritage does not mean standing still. To remain true to René Lacoste’s spirit of innovation is precisely to keep moving forward. Our aim is not to reinvent LACOSTE, but to keep finding new potential in what already makes the brand distinctive, so that it remains relevant to consumers today and to future generations. Jing Daily: Since joining LACOSTE in 2023, you have repeatedly drawn on the brand’s history in your work. How do you preserve its established codes while giving them new meaning for today? Pelagia Kolotouros: Innovation does not mean inventing an entirely new language for the brand. It means going back into LACOSTE’s history and finding new ways to express what is already there. Our earlier collections were more focused on paying tribute to the brand’s past. In recent seasons, the emphasis has shifted toward bringing those historic elements into designs that look forward. We have spent a lot of time, for example, rethinking pleats. They are an instantly recognizable part of tennis culture, but they do not have to belong only to a traditional tennis skirt. We start with the element itself and explore how it can move into different types of clothing. That approach also reflects René Lacoste’s instinct to challenge convention. He shortened his sleeves and questioned the dress codes of his time. In the Spring 2027 collection, ideas of boldness and an anti-preppy attitude are closely tied to that same spirit of innovation. Beyond the tennis court Jing Daily: You just mentioned that a brand’s heritage needs to be brought into the present in new ways. The Fall-Winter 2026 collection draws on a rain-soaked match René Lacoste played in 1923. Why return to that particular moment, and how did you translate it into clothes people would want to wear today? Pelagia Kolotouros: I wanted to shift the focus from the players on the court to the spectators in the stands, and to look at how people dressed to watch tennis in different eras. That 1923 match made me think about what spectators actually need: perhaps a souvenir T-shirt, a trench coat or a rain poncho. I wanted to connect the tennis culture of the 1920s with the way people dress in 2026, creating something that carries a sense of nostalgia while still feeling contemporary. Today, the boundaries between sportswear and everyday dress are increasingly blurred. People no longer dress for just one specific activity. So I tend to think of design as a lifestyle proposition — clothes that can move naturally across different parts of daily life. For LACOSTE, that does not mean chasing trends. It means building on the brand’s distinct identity and tennis heritage to create pieces that can speak to a broader audience. Jing Daily: Tennis has moved back into the center of fashion and popular culture in recent years. At the same time, LACOSTE has been expanding into other sports, including golf and motorsport. Why broaden the brand’s sporting territory? Thierry Guibert: Tennis remains at the heart of LACOSTE. We have long-standing relationships with major tennis tournaments and work with athletes including Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams, reflecting a connection to the sport that is both authentic and enduring. But sport today extends far beyond competition. It has become part of fashion, entertainment, social life and popular culture. By moving into areas such as golf and motorsport, we can connect with new communities and give more people different ways into the LACOSTE world. We want to reach not only tennis fans, but a broader audience drawn to the energy, freedom and way of life that sport represents. Why Shanghai, why China? Jing Daily: Guangfulin in Shanghai is the first place outside Paris where you have presented a full seasonal runway collection. Why did you choose this setting, and what did you want Chinese audiences to take away from the show? Pelagia Kolotouros: One of the reasons we chose Guangfulin is the way its deep cultural history sits alongside a distinctly modern sensibility. Ancient remains and contemporary architecture share the same space, and that coexistence of past and present reflects how LACOSTE approaches its own heritage: with respect, but always with an eye toward what comes next. The landscape also has a natural connection to this season’s idea of the “washed-out match.” The water, in particular, gave the collection a new atmosphere and energy. Through the show, I wanted Chinese audiences to feel our genuine appreciation and respect for Chinese culture. Jing Daily: From Aranya and the Great Wall to Guangfulin in Shanghai, LACOSTE has repeatedly chosen Chinese cultural landmarks for major brand moments. Why has China become such an important stage for the brand’s global creative expression? Thierry Guibert: LACOSTE has built a close relationship with China over many years. Its cultural depth, and the way tradition and modernity coexist here, align closely with the values we place on heritage, creativity and innovation. Through these projects, we want to create a deeper dialogue between our French heritage and Chinese culture — one that resonates locally while also speaking to a global audience. It reflects both our long-term commitment to China and the country’s growing role in how LACOSTE develops and expresses itself globally. Beyond the buzz: Building long-term brand affinity Jing Daily: The Shanghai show adopted a “see now, buy now” model, allowing selected runway pieces to reach consumers as they were being presented. Beyond celebrity partnerships, LACOSTE has also been using product, content, retail and digital experiences to engage younger consumers. Why does the brand want to bring creative expression and consumption closer together? And are these efforts changing how younger consumers see LACOSTE? Thierry Guibert: We believe creative expression and consumer engagement should reinforce each other. By combining runway shows with livestreaming and “see now, buy now,” we want to bring consumers deeper into the LACOSTE world and create a more direct connection between design, product and the experience of buying. At the same time, we are building broader relationships with younger consumers through product innovation, sports partnerships, creative collaborations, brand events, and continued investment in retail and digital experiences. What matters is not any single touchpoint, but whether consumers encounter a clear and consistent brand identity across product, content and retail. We are already seeing encouraging signs, particularly in China, where younger consumers’ perception of LACOSTE and their desire for the brand are improving. It reinforces our belief that creative expression, product, communication and consumer experience need to work together if short-term attention is to become a longer-term relationship. Jing Daily: In a constantly shifting consumer market, how do you think about the relationship between trends and long-term brand value? Pelagia Kolotouros: I do not consciously follow trends. LACOSTE has a strong identity of its own; it does not need trends to remain relevant. Paying too much attention to what is happening outside the brand can make design lose its direction. That approach may work for fast fashion, but it is not how you build a brand for the long term. What we are really after is consumer loyalty and trust, not a brief moment of attention. That is why it matters more to keep drawing from the brand’s own history and design language than to respond to every passing trend. Jing Daily: As sport and fashion continue to converge, how will LACOSTE strengthen its long-term competitive position? Thierry Guibert: The convergence of sport and fashion is creating new opportunities, but also more competition. In that environment, a clear brand identity, sustained creative strength, strong product quality and a consistent brand experience will be essential. We will continue to build on our sporting heritage, strengthen the product offer, sharpen our creative expression and reinforce LACOSTE’s premium positioning. Ultimately, we believe lasting appeal comes from staying true to who you are while continuing to evolve.

As tennis becomes a lifestyle, how can LACOSTE sustain its appeal?

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As tennis becomes a lifestyle, how can LACOSTE sustain its appeal?

TUMI’s new growth playbook: From travel expertise to lifestyle performance