It’s summertime, which for the sporting fashion lover can mean hours logged on tennis courts and golf courses (and if you’re lucky, even more hours spent with post-game drinks on the terrace). It therefore seems only fitting to pay homage to the champion of country club style, Lacoste, with these vintage ads.

Founded in France in 1933 as La Chemise Lacoste, the fashion house originally made only white shirts; it wasn’t until 1951 that they branched out and went big with color. A year after the shirts encountered dye for the first time, the company started selling its wares in the USA, with the slogan, “the status symbol of the competent sportsman.” So assertive. So into it.

While the current video campaign featuring Adrien Brody (on whom I have a serious crush…someone could tell him, and that would be fine) is pretty good, it’s hard to come close to the aesthetic brilliance of these vintage ads.  If these don’t inspire you to fish out that dusty racquet hiding in the back of your closet, I don’t know what will. 

-CW