Lacoste turns icons into fashion myths in latest global serve

Following the bold success of its “Play big” brand push earlier this year, Lacoste is back with a new global campaign that blends fashion heritage with pop-cultural power. Titled “Play with icons,” the campaign continues the brand’s long-standing collaboration with BETC Paris and offers a visually rich, offbeat take on what makes an icon.

“Play with icons” celebrates both Lacoste’s most recognisable pieces and the personalities who wear them. Shot by American photographer Tyler Mitchell, known for his colourful, culture-forward lens, the campaign presents a series of stylised tableaus starring Novak Djokovic, Venus Williams, Wang Yibo, Pierre Niney and Adèle Exarchopoulos.

Each of the ambassadors are paired with an iconic Lacoste item, with each pairing becoming its own myth too. 

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Adèle Exarchopoulos, the French actress and style icon, transforms Lacoste’s newest accessory, the Lenglen bag, into a pleated skirt in a clever trompe-l'œil visual. The look fuses effortless elegance with inventive design, nodding to the brand’s tennis roots and high-fashion sensibility.

King of tennis Novak Djokovic appears draped in a golden tennis net reimagined as a regal cape, paired with Lacoste’s iconic off-white polo. The composition reaffirms his GOAT status while underscoring the polo’s enduring place in the fashion-sport canon.

In a playful play nod to her namesake, Venus Williams emerges from sculptural pleats with matching pleated hair, holding a pearlescent tennis ball - echoing the grace of the goddess Venus. The tableau pays tribute to Lacoste’s signature plissé craftsmanship and Williams’ legendary status as a powerful force in sport and style.

Meanwhile, Chinese actor and dancer Wang Yibo takes the stage surrounded by bouquets made entirely of Lacoste polos in a gradient of blue hues. The scene is a fashion tribute to his fan-favourite charisma and the timeless appeal of the Lacoste polo across generations.

Finally, French actor Pierre Niney, on the other hand, lounges on a sculptural sofa shaped like the Lacoste Crocodile, dressed in the brand’s signature green. The image channels quiet sophistication with a playful French twist, bringing the emblem to life in minimalistic style.

“Play with icons” launches globally this May across digital, TV, print and Lacoste flagship stores worldwide. 

"Play with icons" comes after the brand's successful "Play big" campaign, an art-driven campaign celebrating Lacoste’s iconic crocodile emblem and its fusion of fashion and sport.

The centerpiece was a monumental 8-meter-long crocodile sculpture crafted from traditional tennis materials. The campaign featured global ambassadors Djokovic, Williams, Niney, Wang and the addition of Jeon Somi and Ahn Hyo Seop who were seen interacting uniquely with the crocodile to reflect their individual styles and personalities.

A highlight of this campaign was an activation at the Great Wall of China, where Lacoste transformed a section into a symbolic tennis court. This event featured a match between Djokovic and Wang too. 

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