Lacoste Spring 2016: An Olympic influence

Lacoste artistic director Felipe Oliveira Baptista’s cohesive Spring 2016 collection will of course attract athletes, but also those less inclined to go to the gym. Run, don’t walk, to snag some these unique and wearable pieces. Interlocking color blocks replaced the signature crocodile on basic polo shirts.   Baptista is also designing the French Olympic team uniform for next summer’s competition in Rio, and that aesthetic appears to be a heavy influence in this collection.  Almost every color of the rainbow was sent out on the runway in the form of a mosaic of national flags.

Among the more interesting pieces on the runway were the camouflage flag parachute coats for women; the streetwear ready sweatpants  in blue and red that have large 2s and 7’s; and the men’s mixed polo shirt in green yellow, red, and white with matching pants. Baptista sent out easy-to-wear, refined streetwear with a few surprises. Quite a few of the pieces serve more than one purpose: trench coats and windbreakers can be worn as is or as a cape, and a jumpsuit completely unzips into a coat.

The “L.12.12” bags, a nod to the Lacoste polo, were on the heavy side even when empty. Unlike the light parachute and cotton materials for the clothing, the bags are made of a double-fabric and would have to be worn by someone in good shape if one was to actually carry anything in them.

Pieces from the Lacoste Spring 2016 collection at New York Fashion Week went on display after their appearance on the runway. (photo by Megan Lee / Meniscus Magazine)

Photos: Lacoste Lounge Spring 2016 – New York Fashion Week
all photos by Megan Lee / Meniscus Magazine