Lacoste strengthens UK retail portfolio

French lifestyle brand Lacoste, which last week debut its first collection by new British creative director Louise Trotter, is continuing its retail expansion in the UK, with a new store in London’s Covent Garden and an opening in the north of the country with a new boutique in the Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield.

The move is part of Lacoste’s continuation of a worldwide strategy to elevate the brand by creating a stronger retail identity, and will take the French lifestyle brand’s retail portfolio to 15 standalone stores, with six based in London.

Jamie Givens, the newly appointed UK chief executive of Lacoste said of the expansion in a statement: “Lacoste is an iconic global brand however we recognise the importance of local relevancy and the importance the UK plays in its overall success.

“At a time when the consumer environment is rapidly changing and digital platforms are becoming more relevant it really is a statement of our intention to recognise the importance of connecting with our consumers in a physical way through our stores. I am delighted that we are adding Covent Garden to our portfolio and expansion plans in the UK.”

The two new Lacoste boutiques will feature the ‘Le Club’ concept, launched globally in 2017 in London’s White City Westfield Shopping Centre, which pays homage to Rene Lacoste’s sporting heritage through innovative use of new materials and technology taking the customer on a journey through the eras spanning the 85 years of brand, best known for its crocodile logo, iconic polo shirts and sport-inspired premium casual wear.

Lacoste opens new Covent Garden store

The Lacoste Covent Garden store, which spans nearly 970 square foot, offers the range of the men’s collection, accessories and footwear, and centres around an eye-catching polo wall.

The store design invites the customer into a single space, where the concept of a tennis court is at the centre of the design, which includes green concrete to perforated leathers, explains the French brand, with the curve of the counter designed to “inspires movement while the folded wood is reminiscent of heritage tennis rackets and umpire chairs”.

There is also a homage to Rene Lacoste’s Chantaco locker room, where garments are displayed throughout the tennis inspired green and white colour palette of the store to showcase the brand’s sporting spirit.

The Lacoste opening at the Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield will be this spring.

Lacoste is present in 120 countries through a selective distribution network and two Lacoste items are sold every second in the world. In 2018, the brand recorded a turnover of 2 billion euros.

Images: courtesy of Lacoste