Lacoste has become the latest to launch a more contemporary line for younger shoppers, along with a projection of 60 dedicated stores, but the new venture, Lacoste Live, is an update in style only, not in terms of price tags.
Lacoste Live will feature looks for both men and women that remain reflective of the brand's crisp-and-sporty aesthetic: Polo shirts endure, though they're updated with slimmer cuts and more fashion-centric elements like prints and denim. Price points remain on par with its existing offerings, and range between about $80-$225. In an interesting move, Lacoste is positioning the brand independently, with its own marketing and merchandising efforts to support the launch.
The first Lacoste Live store will open on Prince Street in Soho in early September (just in time for Fashion's Night Out, we presume), followed by a roll-out of locations in appropriately youthful, preppy cities like Boston, Georgetown, LA and Miami and internationally.
The birth of the new brand comes on the heels of creative director Christophe Lemaire's departure for Hermès. Lacoste executives told WWD the company would likely name his replacement toward the end of the year, and are apparently focusing on applicants with a strong grip on the important American market.
