Lacoste is in the middle of launching its Fall/Winter 2020 men’s and women’s sneaker collection, which includes five key trainer styles that will roll out through December.
Two styles, the Ace List and Storm 96 Lo, were released in September, along with three upcoming styles yet to be released: Court Drive, Contest and Run Breaker. The designs are modern while also paying homage to Lacoste’s iconic heritage. The collection is a combination of fashion and function, with performance technology integrated into the designs.
The shoes were designed two years ago. The process takes that long from design to sale, so neither Covid-19 nor the ensuing shifting consumer spending habits had any effect on the design, according to a Lacoste spokesperson.
The Ace Lift, priced at $120, is a trainer designed for versatility, inspired by a 1980’s classic, the G80 silhouette. It is mixed with a “savvy blend of heritage and modernity,” the company says. The shoe’s upper is consisted of 100 percent nubuck leather, while it also includes a white midsole and a sculpted rubber green outsole designed for easy movement, textile linings and a patent pop on the toe bumper adds subtle detail. This model is available now in two different colorways.
The Storm 96 Lo is inspired by the Storm 96 OG, Lacoste’s first running shoe released in 1996. The shoe references 90s style, but is a redesigned low-top version for the new season. The pair is priced at $135. The slightly tapered retro silhouette comes in a range of vibrant pop colors, and consists of textile uppers and linings, a rubber outsole, as well as a contrasted rubber crocodile branding at the quarter.
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The next release, the Contest, will drop this month. The silhouette is directly inspired by the brand’s archives in what the company calls “a tribute to French elegance.” The Contest, which is the collection’s most affordable shoe at $100, features diagonally positioned perforations echoing the brand’s tennis design codes, while the signature green crocodile adorns the exterior side of the shoe. Plush suede hits on the toe and heel are designed to offer visual contrast, with the shoe also including canvas linings, a rubber outsole and leather uppers.
In November, Lacoste will unveil the Court Drive trainer, which it says will enhance the wearer’s freedom of movement. The trainer is heavily inspired by running and tennis roots and has a price point of $105. The shoe’s white uppers and linings are 100 percent textile, and like the others in the collection, the style features a rubber outsole.
To cap off the collection deep into the holiday season, the company’s Run Breakers are designed as the “ideal shoe for roaming the city” at any time of the year. This high-top silhouette is designed for both outdoors and running, and is aimed at reinventing sportswear and trekking design codes. The shoe carries the heftiest cost of the entire collection at $165.
The Run Breakers are composed of 46 percent suede , 41 percent textiles and 13 percent synthetic materials, with the shoe consisting of suede uppers, a rubber outsole and textile linings. The construction includes a stretch-knit sock with warm Thinsulate linings and a distinctive molded heel clip. This silhouette is dressed in white, blue and red tones.
The collection is available at Lacoste retail locations and online at Lacoste.com.