Lacoste has formally extended its ‘track-to-street’ strategy by appointing French Formula 1 driver Pierre Gasly as its newest global ambassador. Announced in April 2026, this partnership marks a pivotal shift for the heritage label as it leverages the ‘motorcore’ trend to bridge the gap between archival sportswear and modern luxury. Currently competing for Alpine, Gasly serves as the face of the iconic L.12.12 polo, a garment Lacoste is repositioning as a technical lifestyle staple for Gen Z. This move aligns with a broader industry trend where F1 paddock appearances have become as commercially significant as traditional runways, with viewers now 40% more likely to engage with brands seen in a motorsport context.
Harnessing the high-octane female and Gen Z market
The collaboration is timed to capitalize on the sport’s shifting demographics; notably, 75 per cent of new Formula 1 fans are women, a segment that drives 80 per cent of global purchasing decisions. By enlisting Gasly - who balances a top-10 championship standing with a high-visibility presence at Paris Fashion Week - Lacoste is successfully courting a younger, style-conscious audience. Internal retail data for early 2026 suggests that athlete-led heritage drops are outperforming classic product lines by 15 per cent in the Asia-Pacific and U.S. markets. "Pierre embodies the tenacity and effortless elegance that have defined our DNA since 1933, stated Eric Vallat, CEO, Lacoste, during the partnership launch.
Operational excellence and future infrastructure
Beyond brand ambassadorship, Lacoste is reinforcing its retail infrastructure to sustain this momentum. The company recently inaugurated its first ‘Lacoste Café’ in Paris and is scaling its ‘Customer Experience Academy’ to train over 5,000 global sellers in ‘tech-heritage’ storytelling. As the group targets a 6.5 per cent revenue growth for the fiscal year, its focus remains on "Neo-Tennis" and motorsport-inspired capsules that utilize waterproof technical wool and bonded nylons. These innovations, showcased in the Fall-Winter 2026 collection, address the growing demand for functional luxury that transitions seamlessly from high-performance environments to urban lifestyle settings.
Lacoste is a premium French lifestyle house specializing in sports-inspired apparel, footwear, and leather goods across 98 countries. Prioritizing "tech-heritage" innovation and direct-to-consumer expansion, the brand aims to surpass €2.8 billion in annual revenue by late 2026. Founded by tennis legend René Lacoste in 1933, it remains the global benchmark for athletic elegance.
