As Zendaya strutted the lush green carpet in a custom-made monochrome Lacoste set featuring a sparkly and sheer slit skirt during The Challenger’s press tour in Sydney earlier this year, Pelagia Kolotouros cemented her direction for the heritage sports fashion brand. Showing her sophomore collection for Spring/Summer 2025, Kolotouros presented designs that draw inspiration from the debonair René Lacoste—the brand’s founder, especially snapshots of his off-court lifestyle in the 1920s taken with his friends frolicking by the sea.
The runway was covered with sand instead of clay, with a centrepiece—net sculpture by British artist Susie MacMurray—that mimicked the waves crashing against the shore, depicting an insouciant gait by the beach. The Maison’s heritage stood out a mile as Kolotouros revisited and incorporated some of its signature elements such as the founder’s blazer and the romper bathing suits from the Roaring Twenties. These new iterations were also added with fun touches like cut-outs, bouclé jacquard, and lingerie details that are more relatable to the modern wearers without compromising on the French elegance Lacoste is renowned for.
Looking into not only the founder’s archive but Kolotouros also pays tribute to Lacoste’s close friends like Robert George, the artist who created the iconic crocodile logo that has since become a moniker for the brand. Traces of the reptile can be found throughout the collection. While some looks feature blown-up croco prints, bones, teeth or even eyes too were designed as whimsical jewellery that complements the garments, icing to the cake indeed. The highlight of the collection is the juxtaposition of texture, polo collars, for example, were seen wrapped with sheer layers embroidered with motifs like tennis balls and rackets—work of George as well—or reconstructed into evening numbers.
Pleats too were heavily incorporated into the designs to honour the celebrated tennis champion, Suzanne Lenglen. The tribute is an apt decision as Lenglen is not only another close friend of Lacoste, but her style influence is the cornerstone in tennis fashion and eventually revolutionised women’s fashion in general. It’s safe to say that Kolotouros has firmly established her voice in the scene; a grand slam that comes full circle where sports, heritage, and modern fashion meet.
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