Golf bags, kiltie loafers, and putting-green argyles were all over the Lacoste fall 2020 runway. No, Louise Trotter has not abandoned the brand’s tennis heritage for its neighboring sport at the country club—through these golf-inspired pieces, she is paying homage to René Lacoste’s wife, Simone de la Chaume, a champion golfer whose legacy has been overshadowed by her husband’s embroidered gator. In De la Chaume’s heyday in the 1920s, shin-grazing pleated skirts and deep-V knitwear constituted the on-green look for women; here, Trotter refigured these silhouettes to be lighter, breezier, and in flashes of pastel colors. Styled as total looks—that totally evoke stylist Suzanne Koller’s own wardrobe—these golfing ensembles had a quirkily modern feel without veering too far into costume, even if the miniature golf bags came a little close.
Trotter pushed well beyond sporty in this collection too, with burnt orange double-breasted suits for both men and women. Outerwear has been expanded to include basic shapes, like a trench piped in lime and a navy duffel cut with a shaggy green tartan. The palette was decidedly springy, but as Trotter explained backstage, she wanted to send an optimistic message on the catwalk—no black! She continued, saying that some of her materials were sustainable, but refusing to go into more detail as she didn’t want it to become a PR taking point. She remarked that people don’t really need more clothes, but if they must, well, shouldn’t they have something to really love? She offered some worthy options this season.
