Sometime in the early 1930’s, the owner and chairman of France’s largest knitwear manufacturing firm attended a Davis Cup tennis match. Andre Gillier saw Rene Lacoste in action; the tennis player had been nicknamed “the alligator” after making a bet with the captain of the French Davis Cup team about a suitcase made of alligator skin. “The public must have been fond of this nickname which conveyed the tenacity I displayed on the tennis courts, never letting go of my prey,” said the man himself. The name stuck, and when Gillier saw Lacoste on the court, he set up a company to mass produce the logo-embroidered shirt designed by the tennis player for his own use on the tennis court. The name and the logo have since developed into a massively popular global brand.
Decades later, the Lacoste name is not only still immediately associated with sports (tennis specifically), it’s also a major fashion label – the UAE currently boasts eight Lacoste boutiques.
In 2001, Lacoste began sponsoring the Dubai Tennis Championship (DTC). The partnership continues to this day, but it has also evolved – Lacoste became the official sponsor of the DTC in 2004, and in 2007 the brand became the DTC’s official outfitter, providing the outfits for all on-court officials. The sponsorship also includes a Lacoste booth in the Tennis Village at the stadium, where a Nintendo Wii tournament (among other activities) is conducted.
DTC players also participate in Lacoste activities around the tournament, such as the annual Lacoste Tennis Clinic for children with disabilities, and visits to students at the Dubai Autism Centre. In 2007, Lacoste was also the official apparel sponsor of the third edition of the “Legends Rock Dubai” tennis championship series.
Christophe Chenut, CEO of Lacoste, says the brand seeks the opportunity to be visible all year round in major tennis tournaments, as the involvement of Lacoste in the tennis world allows the brand to perpetuate its history. And, in the region, the DTC is key to that strategy.
“The Dubai Tennis Championship is one of tennis’ most prestigious events and Lacoste is delighted to be a part of the sponsors’ team,” says Chenut. “The deal gives the brand greater exposure in the UAE and across the region, and reinforces LACOSTE’s leadership in major sporting initiatives.”