Written by Menswear Style in New Collections on the 27th September 2018

True to its talent for harnessing contemporary trends, Lacoste does away with the last relics of a hyper-gendered fashion in order to reveal a genuine link between both the male and female wardrobes. With an angle that is neither political nor provocative, Lacoste presents a Spring/Summer 2019 collection that focuses on style rather than gender.

With a mix of timeless pieces and seasonal ones, Lacoste induces a powerful vintage feeling by merging the brand’s tennis DNA with the streetwear universe of the 90s. It’s a creative and offbeat take on the 'sportcore' style that advocates a certain type of uniqueness as well as a liberating non-conformity.

A new impetus is given to the brand’s identity markers. The Polo shirt, unisex sportswear icon, is central to this new collection. As the streets embrace tennis, basics are jostled to enter the subversive world of street style, becoming a new standard of everyday life. Here, cotton is held up to more technical materials such as polyester or diamond taffeta, while volumes and proportions amplify, relying on oversize and layering to structure the silhouette and increase possibilities.

Indifferently worn by men or women, the logo-ed sports pants and their matching jacket make a new life for themselves. The men’s suit turns into a trousers and blazer outfit for women, the XXL polo shirt is paired off with a long-pleated skirt or with technical jersey shorts that are worn high-waisted, restrained by a strap belt. The line between fashion and sports has been rubbed out.

The logo stands out, resolutely clannish. Radically displayed on a bucket hat casually dropped onto a cap, it discreetly signs a pair of retro aviator sunglasses. The crocodile also brands two pairs of sneakers - the white canvas Sideline model with its tennis court inspired multicolored streaks and the Masters model - its minimalist leather line drawn from the Lacoste archives.

If the crest is ubiquitous, the name of the brand is as well, writing all-over prints on a clear denim total look. A dynamic fashion emancipated from prints – with the exception of a revisited palm print and the geometric lines of a polo shirt – which gives free reign to traditional Lacoste colours such as navy, green, red, white and black, that play out monochromatic or as colour blocks.

Shot by Craig McDean, the looks of the Lacoste Spring/Summer 2019 collection, interchangeable and unisex, transcend gender. Clothes, that once defined, are now used as a means to thrive. Finding proper context in the current non-gendered fashion, bringing about a socio-cultural change with a far-reaching impact.

A first look at the hyper-gendered fashion collection for Spring/Summer 2019 by Lacoste shot by Craig McDean.