"Lacoste has always been a lot about color," Felipe Oliveira Baptista said at his presentation of the brand's pre-fall collection for men and women. "But I like to combine it with neutrals. It's more powerful that way." That said, it was more a neutral palette of black, gray, navy, white, and tan that dominated. When there was color, it evoked sunset rather than midday by the Med. But that was better suited to the streamlined, citified feel that Baptista was after. Yes, the classic piqué polo made its inevitable appearance, but it was stretched into a dress. The Lacoste crocodile was transformed into a motif on a ski sweater.
The mood of urban utility was clearest in the emphasis on outerwear, with gabardine trenches, bonded duffels, parkas, and quilted jackets for men and women. Men also were offered smart tailoring. It came in gray jersey, a nod to Lacoste's sportswear heritage. Baptista was especially proud of everything Lacoste is doing with knits, not just in their ergonomic aspect but in small, sophisticated details, like the transparent piping that defined a white cashmere top.
