Lacoste
The French tennis house of René 'le Crocodile' Lacoste. The Izod co-brand on US-market pieces and the 'Chemise Lacoste' label are the sharpest pre-2000 dating tells.
- Origin
- France
- Founded
- 1933
- Category
- Athletic & Streetwear
- Documented eras
- 6
How Lacoste labels evolved over time. Match the markers below against the tag in hand to place a garment in its era.
1960–1969
Izod White Labels
US-market sixties pieces carried Izod alongside Lacoste on plain white labels, with no sizing, care, or country of make.
- 1960s Lacoste logos often included Izod if they were made in the USA or sold in the US market
- They are white labels white the emblem and text
- They did not include information about sizing, care, or country of manufacture
How to spot it
A white label, the crocodile, and an Izod co-brand.
Value signal
Rare; early Izod-Lacoste is a genuine collector find.
1970–1979
Pixelated Izod Crocodile
Mostly Izod Lacoste tags with a pixelated, woven-in crocodile that came in several colours.
- Tags at this time were mostly Izod Lacoste tags
- They have a pixelated crocodile emblem
- Although the one on the left is blue, this tag variation came in a few colour
- The text on these tags is often pixelated when its vintage as it was sewn in
How to spot it
A pixelated woven crocodile on an Izod tag.
Value signal
Desirable; 70s Izod Lacoste has steady demand.
1980–1989
'Chemise Lacoste' Labels
The 'Chemise Lacoste' label dominates the decade, specifying size and country of make — frequently France.
- The Chemise Lacoste tags were commonly used in the 1980s
- They specified the size and country of manufacture, which was often France
- They also had the logo
- Although not all tags included sizing, in became more common in this decade
How to spot it
A 'Chemise Lacoste' label, often 'Made in France'.
Value signal
Strong; French-made 80s Lacoste is a reliable seller.
1990–1999
Final Izod Tags, Gold Logo
The last Izod Lacoste tags appear early on; fully sewn-in black tags with a gold logo follow, and informative wash tags arrive.
- The tag on the right is one of the final Izod Lacoste tags before Lacoste stopped working with Izod
- The black tags are completely sewn in and use a gold logo
- Neither specify sizing, but in the 1990s wash tags started to be included that included more information, so watch out for them
How to spot it
A sewn-in black tag with a gold logo (or a late Izod tag).
Value signal
Solid 90s vintage; value tracks condition.
2000–2009
Lacoste Sport, Size Tab
The Lacoste Sport line launched with a connected size tab at the base; most tags stayed large white rectangles with minimal text.
- The Lacoste Sport line was launched, and new tags were created that had sizing information in a tab connected to the bottom
- Most tags still used number sizing, and were large white rectangles that has a minimal amount of information
How to spot it
A large white tag with a connected size tab.
Value signal
Common; modest resale.
2010–2019
Thin-Font Modern Logo
Similar to the 2000s but heavier material and, on later tags, the thin-font logo with a simpler crocodile; full care wash tags are always present.
- Although these tags are similar in many ways to the 2000s ones, differences in the sizing of the logo can be seen
- And the new logo with a thinner font and simpler crocodile can be seen on the far right
- They also have become quite high quality and heavy material over years
- 2010 pieces will always be sold with wash tags that have a lot of care and composition information
How to spot it
The thinner modern wordmark and simplified crocodile.
Value signal
Modern; priced on the piece.