PETA Charges Lacoste With Using Inhumanely Sourced Duck Down

Peta DucksPETA Australia has charged Lacoste and other brands of using inhumanely sourced down feathers from Vietnam. According to PETA Australia:

Investigative footage of Vietnam’s down industry shows a worker stabbing conscious ducks in the neck and workers cutting the legs off live, struggling birds. Their feathers were later sold to brands as “responsibly sourced”. Companies like H&M, Gap Inc, Lacoste, and Guess were all identified as recipients of down from the RDS-certified suppliers investigated by PETA Asia, and all obtain feathers from Vietnam.

You can see some pretty graphic video of the animal abuse on the PETA site. Previously, Lacoste was accused of using inhumanely sourced mohair, but agreed to stop using it. We can expect the same to happen with down feathers.

More coverage at Women’s Wear Daily.

Lacoste Name Venus Williams As New Global Brand Ambassador

Lacoste has named Venus Williams their new Global Brand Ambassador. From the press release:

Bold, committed, entrepreneurial, passionate about fashion and founder of lifestyle brand EleVen, tennis champion Venus Williams embodies all the ambitions of the new fashion-sport silhouette created by Louise Trotter. This wardrobe, imbued with the brand’s strong fashion DNA, is part of a desire to respond to new lifestyles – creating versatile clothing to cater to women’s contemporary lives.

 

“Lacoste celebrates its new silhouette, at the crossroads of fashion and sport. It blends technical materials, key details, and bright colours. This look draws its inspiration from the roots of our history: on-point pieces inspired by the movement of the body, just as René Lacoste intended.”

– Louise Trotter, Lacoste artistic director

 

British Vogue photographed Venus Williams, the first woman to enliven this fashion- sport vision, in Jupiter, Florida, which she calls home.

 

«I am a long-time fan of Lacoste and have always been inspired by the brand’s innovative style, beyond its tennis roots. Louise Trotter is such a visionary and the work she has done as creative director of the House is forward-thinking, inspired and constantly evolving. I am thrilled to be working alongside her as the face of Lacoste’s new silhouette.”

– Venus Williams

 

The seven-time Grand slam champion and entrepreneur is arguably one of the most accomplished and inspiring women in the history of sports. A trailblazer throughout her career, Williams has worked tirelessly to help the sport evolve by championing the fight for equal pay and serving as a steadfast advocate for equality. Perfectly aligned with Lacoste’s brand values, Williams will support the endeavors of the Lacoste Foundation, which has been working internationally to promote equal opportunities since 2006.

Venus Williams

In conjunction with the announcement, British Vogue did a photo shoot and interview. As might be expected, there was a huge amount of press coverage:

  • Fashion United – “The tennis star will be the face of Lacoste’s new fashion-sport silhouette, launching with a unisex collection featuring trench coats, bras, dresses, shirts, and accessories.”
  • Tennis Now – “Welcome to the #TeamLacoste, Venuswilliams! As one of the greatest athletes in the world, Venus embodies off the court all the ambitions of the new fashion-sport silhouette created by Louise Trotter.”
  • Tennis.com – “The luxury sportswear brand tapped into its strong tennis roots with the appointment of Venus as global ambassador”

As they say in Dodgeball, “It’s a bold move .., Let’s see if it pays off.”

Lacoste Introduces New “Eco-Friendly,” “Closed Loop” Polo Shirt

Red Leather Lacoste LogoIf you are into buzz words, you will love Lacoste’s new  “Eco-Friendly,” “Closed-Loop” polo shirt of which no two are identical. WWD has the details:

Lacoste is bringing a sustainable twist to its classic bestseller by introducing the Loop Polo. The eco-friendly polo shirt is made of 30 percent recycled cotton spun together with 70 percent virgin cotton; it is unisex.

Lacoste’s Loop Polo is made using a “closed-loop” process, which means no two polos are identical. It comes in a speckled look in heather gray or midnight blue. It has a “petit pique” texture, two-button neckline, short sleeves and tonal croc camouflage [logo], made from recycled polyester.

The manufacturing process also consumes less water. For more details, got to WWD.  The shirt is available as of today online and in Lacoste Stores. More coverage at Fashion United UK.

 

Lacoste Expanding E-Commerce Coverage To Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt

Esquire reports that Lacoste is expanding its e-commerce coverage in the Middle East and the Gulf:

Looking to grow its regional offering Lacoste has expanded its e-commerce offering to Kuwait, Qatar and Egypt, promising free delivery with 48 hours.

The launch of the service in the three countries will offer the full range of Lacoste collections for both men and women including Lacoste mainline, Lacoste L!VE and Lacoste sport.

In addition, the ecommerce site will feature a wide variety of products in varying categories such as apparel, shoes, leather goods and accessories.