Tall, tan and athletic, the tennis champion appears in archival photos vacationing with friends on a beach in Southwestern France. The mood is contagious, capturing an authentic off-court lifestyle rich in laughter, camaraderie and sporty seaside getaways. The joy and insouciance of the 1920s resonates all the more in a world yearning for optimism and true liberation.

For Pelagia Kolotouros and the Lacoste design team, those images triggered a fresh burst of inspiration. The result is a collection that pays tribute to the Maison's athletic heritage while also highlighting modern French elegance as it exists in everyday life today. Bright and breezy silhouettes project radiant energy seasoned with sensual fluidity, nonchalance, and savvy plays of transparency. A 1920s building echoes the era that inspired the collection and features an immersive backdrop of lush vegetation and the sea beyond, illuminating the in warm, natural light. At its center sits a monumental net sculpture, a tribute to one of the sport's most iconic treasures, by the British artist Susie MacMurray.

Striking a clever balance between formal and casual, sport and leisure, a versatile wardrobe flows from clay court to the shore and on to summer parties, accessorized with week-end racquet totes. Sensual, feminine, sporty silhouettes feature pleats, cut-outs and lingerie details, while dapper, easy sportswear for men incorporates the founder’s emblematic blazer, now a signature piece, tailored with a soft shoulder and paired with performance shorts.

Modern iterations of Lacoste’s '20s and '30s-era romper bathing suits, beach wear and lingerie reveal flashes of skin, while athletic V-neck décolletés put a sultry spin on dresses and polo shirts alike.

By exploring icons, what they represent and how they evolve over time, Pelagia Kolotouros continues to revisit the Maison’s celebrated logo, playfully parsing the Lacoste crocodile through an artistic prism and retaining single elements such as bones, teeth or eyes on jewelry. Tactile expressions —a bouclé jacquard, lace trim on delicate knit, or blown-up prints veering on abstraction —contrast with micro motifs on fluid summer shirts, silky pajamas and hi-tech track suits.

Kolotouros also gamely returns to the source to serve up neo-tennis looks. The iconic polo shirt, now engineered into t-shirts, evening dresses or tennis skirts, is injected with a sprinkling of archival references, among them tennis balls, tennis rackets, and prints by René Lacoste’s close friend, the artist Robert George, who designed the original crocodile. An abundance of pleats honor another of Lacoste’s close friends, fellow tennis champion Suzanne Lenglen, bringing fluidity and movement to body-con cuts.

Textures and finishes bring vivacity and depth, from bouclés or a gorgeous satin evoking the shimmer of the ocean, to lace embroideries and performance-oriented silicon trims.

Nude tones inform the color palette, ranging from tan to rich espresso, creating a neutral base for playing with luminous, strong shades. Energetic pops of yellow and green volley with new twists on Lacoste's signature colors, ranging from almond to a vibrant grassy hue — a vitamin boost for a youthful, energetic, sunny mood.