LACOSTE 80th Anniversary Polo-Shirt (Limited Edition)

To mark its 80th anniversary, French heritage label Lacoste called upon eminent British artist Peter Saville (“the UK's most famous graphic designer”) to create unique birthday logos. Composed of three stylised tennis balls forming the magic number, the clever motif gives a youthful verve to many of the brand’s classic silhouettes including, of course, the quintessential polo shirt.

Enjoy this coveted top with trim trousers and loafers about town, or team with your favourite denims/shorts on low-key Saturdays.
LMITED EDITION.

LACOSTE x JONATHAN ADLER Collaboration Polo

Each year Lacoste commissions a guest designer to re-imagine its iconic L.12.12 polo shirt as part of the Holiday Collector’s Series. In the past, Lacoste has collaborated with UK design stars Tom Dixon and Michale Young, Brazilian brothers The Campanas, and most recently contemporary Chinese artist Li Xiaofeng. American designer Jonathan Adler was the latest to be invited by Lacoste to conceive a polo along with a packaging project.

A long-time Lacoste fan and a self-proclaimed ‘addicted user’, Adler recalls feeling ‘like a child hearing the ice cream truck coming around’ when approached by Lacoste. Celebrated for his ‘happy chic’ aesthetic, the style extraordinaire brought joy and craft to the collaboration polos by incorporating motifs and iconography with different levels of craft.

We'll be wearing ours with denims or chinos and driving shoes on the weekend, adding a classic Panama hat to relax with the papers in the sun!

 

A fun launch event was held in Paris to roll out the collection, where the special polos were showcased by models who were playing mixed doubles on a tennis court, while the guests practiced Ping Pong (Adler’s favourite sport).

McQ BY ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Cotton Piqué Polo Shirt

January 2006 heralded the birth of McQ by Alexander McQueen, a superb denim-based RTW line.
The McQ version of the classic tipped collar polo shirt is of medium cut and made in 100% cotton piqué. Taking sartorial inspiration from its London roots, McQ adds a modish spin with a contrasting tip on the collar and armbands, and an embroidered McQ safety pin logo on the chest.
Ready for any occasion (from lunch with friends at the clubhouse to putting on the green), this tactile piece can be worn with everything from dark denim to chinos or checked shorts.
(RRP £85)

LE TIGRE (USA) Polo Shirts

Le Tigre first emerged in the late ’70s as America’s response to France’s Lacoste clothing line. It was started by an American, named Bob Rush, who was poking fun at the French and their fancy sport shirts (check out the funny ad below).

After being out of production through the 1990s (it was rumored that in 1991, even a certain former President of the U.S. of A. had trouble getting his hands on a Le Tigre polo shirt), the brand made a comeback in 2003 with new silhouettes and better fabrics.
Today Le Tigre is part of the Kenneth Cole Productions group and positions itself as a cool sportswear line that ‘appeals as much to skateboarders as to hip-hop artists, as to that kid backpacking in Colorado.’ That cool factor was apparently behind the electroclash It band ‘Le Tigre’ naming themselves after the brand. And Nikolai Fraiture, the bassist for The Strokes, reportedly uses the term ‘Le Tigre’ to affectionately refer to his East Village side-part shag.

 

 

Check out these better-looking, better-feeling variations of the cotton polo shirts that some of you may have grown up wearing.

RAF SIMONS x FRED PERRY (Limited Edition)

Fred Perry began its long-standing collaboration with Belgium designer Raf Simons back in 2008. Each season since has seen Simons tweak the signature Fred Perry look to make it a little different from the last. For the ‘New Build Polo’, Simons slimmed down the look of the polo shirt with darting in the body. Other personal touches include a ‘double layer’ hem, a thinner collar, and extended plackets and arms to create a more formal, fashionable take on the sportswear staple.
Team this fail-safe option with fresh whites and tailored shorts for preppy style.
(RRP US$175)