On September 11, I attended the Lacoste Spring Summer 2011 runway show at Lincoln Center during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. For this, his final show for Lacoste, Creative Director Christophe Lemaire looked to express the essence of the brand. "Sporty and chic. Easy and playful. Clean and clear," he said. "In short, modern minimal classics." With nary a crocodile in sight, models showcased athletic yet artsy Mondrian-esque looks for both men and women. Lacoste is also launching jewelry for SS2011, guests of the show each received a graphic resin cuff neatly packaged in a pouch made from the same white 'petit pique' jersey as the brand's iconic L. 12. 12 polo. I loved the all-white looks and envied the models in their comfy flats.
More photos and show notes after the jump.
Here are the show notes:
"Inspired by the geometrical patterns of Op Art, the bold lines of Bauhaus and specifically the early modernist Villa Noailles designed by Robert Mallet-Stevens, this collection is decidedly architectural and graphic.
The show starts in black and shades of white with contrasting textures: chalk on cotton, optical on crispy nylon and off-white on ultra suede. Lemaire proposes fresh volumes for women, amplifying either the tops or bottom swith such pieces as kimono sleeve blouses with deep v-necks or tunics knitted in an oversized zoom-in pique pattern.
Lemarie then shirts to a warm and sunny palette of tobacco brown, blood red and mercury orange. A sleeveless polo in cotton netting worn over short shorts in perforated suede reminds us that sporty can still be sexy. Bathing suit cover ups find new appeal in that same cotton netting and perforated suede as well as soft terrycloth.
The end of the show showcases the relaxed elegance for which Lacoste is renowned. Lemaire shows a witty side with jackets sans collars that actually have a trompe l'oeil collar and lapel print. He then demonstrates his flair for combining street and sport with a contemporary hybrid that will surely be the must-have item for men this season: pleated trousers featuring ribbed ankles adapted from tracksuits."
Photo credit: Dianna Baros, thebudgetbabe.com
"Inspired by the geometrical patterns of Op Art, the bold lines of Bauhaus and specifically the early modernist Villa Noailles designed by Robert Mallet-Stevens, this collection is decidedly architectural and graphic.
The show starts in black and shades of white with contrasting textures: chalk on cotton, optical on crispy nylon and off-white on ultra suede. Lemaire proposes fresh volumes for women, amplifying either the tops or bottom swith such pieces as kimono sleeve blouses with deep v-necks or tunics knitted in an oversized zoom-in pique pattern.
Lemarie then shirts to a warm and sunny palette of tobacco brown, blood red and mercury orange. A sleeveless polo in cotton netting worn over short shorts in perforated suede reminds us that sporty can still be sexy. Bathing suit cover ups find new appeal in that same cotton netting and perforated suede as well as soft terrycloth.
The end of the show showcases the relaxed elegance for which Lacoste is renowned. Lemaire shows a witty side with jackets sans collars that actually have a trompe l'oeil collar and lapel print. He then demonstrates his flair for combining street and sport with a contemporary hybrid that will surely be the must-have item for men this season: pleated trousers featuring ribbed ankles adapted from tracksuits."
Photo credit: Dianna Baros, thebudgetbabe.com