French sports-fashion house Lacoste unveiled its 2026 Fall/Winter collection on the Philippe Chatrier Court at Roland‑Garros on the 8th (local time).
EXO star Kai and model Shin Hyun‑ji turned up the glamour in the crowd. Kai, in particular, stole the spotlight in the collection’s signature looks — a raincoat‑fabric tailored suit and a trench‑coat set — giving Lacoste’s central theme, Tech Heritage, a distinctly modern, personal spin.
The show leaned into a rain‑drenched match motif, turning the tennis court into a runway and playfully nodding to Lacoste’s sporting roots.
Creative director Pelagia Kolotouros found her muse in a rainy Davis Cup match René Lacoste played on July 31, 1923. During that Deauville match, a sudden downpour flooded the court, and spectators watched beneath umbrellas in trench coats, ponchos, and rubber boots.
Kolotouros zoomed in on the match’s quiet drama — the tension, the resolve, the preparation, and the eventual triumph — and reframed those moments as a modern kind of heritage. She used the trench coat as a structural anchor, fusing waterproofing with technical fabrics. The poncho evolved into an advanced polo, while bonded tech wool was reimagined as an outer protective shell that blends performance with polish.
She paired transparent nylon padding and voluminous silhouettes with damp‑looking textures and reflective finishes, balancing those athletic touches against plush velvet and the soft tailoring of the René blazer. The crocodile logo pops up throughout the collection in archive‑inspired embroidery and emblem details.
This season also brings a mini capsule in collaboration with Scotland’s storied outerwear maker Mackintosh. Famous for its rubberized fabrics, Mackintosh applied 19th‑century craftsmanship to reinterpret Lacoste staples, producing fresh silhouettes like a poncho polo, a waterproof tracksuit, a pleated trench skirt, and a HYBE lead track jacket shirt.
The capsule underscores Lacoste’s Tech Heritage — a mix of sport, archive, performance, and sensory detail. Expect iconic cable sweaters revamped in high‑performance nylon and outerwear that fuses the crocodile identity with Mackintosh’s technical know‑how, bringing heritage patterns to life on technical fabrics.
The gender‑fluid neo‑tennis line channels athletic energy while offering looks that extend beyond traditional sportswear. Fan‑culture touches — trophy pins, Grand Slam tees, signature tracksuits, and digital watches that read like stretch bracelets — round out the collection’s personality.
The reworked L'Englen bag now features a silicone grip handle, dialing up its urban, sporty edge. The color story draws on nature, with hues that feel intensified and unexpected.
Photo: Lacoste
