Sophie Lacoste Talks Crocodiles and How to Take Your Polo from Golf to Cocktails

elle fashion

Photo: Getty Images

Walking through Miami's Lacoste boutique before business hours feels a bit like entering an Ivy League jock's version of heaven. Polo shirts are encased in glass, as if they were diamonds. Golf clubs and soccer balls dot the walls. And the famous crocodile logo—created by the brand's founder, French tennis champion René "Le Crocodile" Lacoste—is everywhere, even on a pair of pristine white roller skates hanging by the cash register.

We were ushered into the store's inner sanctum—a VIP room adorned with (yes) a life-size sculpture of a crocodile—to meet Sophie Lacoste, the label's newly-appointed chairwoman. She's was in the Sunshine State to fête the brand's latest limited-edition shirts, including $85 tees that benefit Everglades conservation.

They're part of a collection Lacoste designed with the Campana Brothers, two Brazilian artists whose preferred medium is fabric, especially the kind that makes the iconic polo shirts.

ELLE: This is the second time Lacoste has paired with the Campana Brothers to make a series of polo shirts. How did you first meet them?

Sophie Lacoste: Back in 2001, they were making chairs out of stuffed animals, and there was one with only crocodiles! I bought it as a present for my brother. We loved that chair, so when we thought about partnering with artists, we thought they might be a good choice. And we love that they're from Brazil, because we feel a very special connection to Brazil—Lacoste has such a presence there. So they made their first limited-edition polo for us in 2009, only out of our embroidered logos—no other fabric! They really found a stunning way to express themselves through our brand. So we said, "Let's do it again!"

ELLE: This is just the latest in a series of Lacoste partnerships, right? This summer, you hosted a series of rock concerts in Brooklyn, you've hired emerging street artists like Aakash Nihalani to help with your campaigns, and even just tapped Amy Adams to be the face of a perfume.

SL: If you want a brand to stay alive, it has to reinvent itself all the time. And Lacoste is a lot about joie de vivre, so of course we love music and young artists.

ELLE: This time around the Campanas Brothers used tiny black crocodiles as part of their shirts. Does this mean Lacoste will feature them on regular polos, too?

SL: It does! Black crocodiles are a new addition to our men's shirts; they just recently started hitting the stores. They're cool-looking, right?

ELLE: Very, but that brings up another question: How do you make a Lacoste polo work with your outfit if you're going out to dinner, or to a party, instead of going to brunch?

SL: Good question. Look, I do both. I wear polo shirts to play golf on the weekends, but I think it's very nice to wear a black polo shirt with good makeup, a skirt, and a little black jacket. That's really chic, and then you can put some high-heeled boots with it—it's very nice! So for sure, you can wear a polo to go out at night.

ELLE: Will you be doing other things while you're in Florida?

SL: Yes, I took a trip through the Everglades! Part of our mission of social responsibility is to protect the environment, and the Everglades need cleaner water. That's not just important for the crocodiles and the other animals who live there; it's also important for the cities that surround them!

ELLE: At this point, you must know everything about crocs. Tell us a fun fact.

SL: Hmmm… Do you know that crocodiles can run as fast as horses? They can keep up the same pace as a horse for two minutes before they get tired!

ELLE: That's a good one. Now tell us a fun fact about something cool happening in Paris right now.

SL: Have you heard Lou Doillon's new song "Devil or Angel"? Her voice is so colorful and has such depths, it's really incredible. And of course, she is the daughter of Jane Birkin, which is huge. I also like Brigitte, which is two girls who wear glamorous red dresses when they perform. I was just at their concert and they covered "Eye of the Tiger." How great is that?

Campanas + Lacoste Everglades T-shirt; Photo: Lacoste