Lacoste Knitwear
An authentic savoir-faire with an infinity of expressions
Since its founding in 1933, Lacoste has been a knitwear expert. This historic savoir-faire gave rise to iconic pieces - first among them the polo shirt - and continues to be carefully nurtured, shaping every new collection through countless expressions.
Petit Piqué - the founding knit
Knitwear is at the very foundation of Lacoste.
In 1933, when René Lacoste set out to market the revolutionary polo shirt he had designed a few years earlier to withstand the heat on the American courts, he introduced another major innovation: the Petit Piqué cotton knit. Made using particularly resistant premium threads - some taut, others looser - this textured mesh, with its fine honeycomb pattern, is both breathable and lightweight, embodying Lacoste’s ideal of elegance and freedom of movement.
At the heart of Lacoste’s history and collections
Building on a success that would extend far beyond the tennis court to wardrobes around the world, Lacoste has continually expanded its knitwear expertise across new materials, techniques, and products. With time, new signature pieces have emerged, embodying timeless casual elegance or the brand’s graphic codes — from the 1960s carded wool cardigan knitted in garter stitch to the 1970s V-neck tennis sweater with stripes reminiscent of court lines. The Petit Piqué has inspired other designs and continues to feature across collections in its later variations, such as the mini Piqué.
From sportswear to sport, and back again.
True to René Lacoste’s pioneering spirit, the brand also continues to pair its expertise with sport. Its Tennis, Golf, and Training collections are packed with technically advanced knits. A prime example is the polo shirt worn by Novak Djokovic on the professional tennis tour, crafted from one of the lightest jerseys on the market with innovative seamless construction, delivering a second-skin feel and maximum comfort through stretch properties and Ultra Dry sweat-wicking technology. This performance-led approach increasingly informs the sportswear range for enhanced comfort, as seen in the launch of the Chino Commuter, made with lightweight, water-repellent 4-way stretch knit.
PETIT PIQUÉ POLO SHIRT
TWISTED TENNIS SWEATER
JERSEY TRACKSUIT
Autumn/Winter 2025 Collection
Seasonal Knits Rich in Texture
Once again this season, knitwear takes centre stage, showcasing Lacoste’s expertise and creativity. It takes on new forms, from mouliné jersey for men to delicate pointelle with subtle openwork details for women. Textures also emerge in premium materials such as extrafine merino wool and alpaca, with the use of soft, fluffy yarns and refined stitch patterns, exemplified by a patchwork-effect sweater and dress.
New Graphic Interpretations
Traditionally a canvas for patterns, knitwear now embraces graphic expression with landscapes, markings, or oversized crocodiles brought to life in jacquard and intarsia, as well as sweaters knitted from printed yarns that create subtle variations in each piece, alongside models with vibrant stripes. In tennis performance, run-resistant Piqué and technical jersey are adorned with bold prints inspired by the racket.
Between Heritage and Innovation
Always forward-looking, Lacoste expands its range of 3D seamless knits, the result of advanced knitting technology: crafted into sweaters, skirts, and dresses, they follows the body’s curves for a confident, feminine look. In both technical precision and design, knitwear reaches its pinnacle this season with the Made in France capsule, revealing sophisticated knits accented with textured stripes inspired by the brand’s sporting heritage. This capsule is produced in Troyes - the historic site where the polo shirt was born and that remains the epicentre of a soon-to-be century-old craft that continues to evolve.
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