What fabric was the first Lacoste polo made of?

The first Lacoste polo was made of cotton piqué.

René Lacoste developed the shirt as a practical alternative to the stiff, long-sleeved clothing traditionally worn for tennis. Its loosely knitted cotton piqué—also called petit piqué—was breathable, flexible and durable, making it better suited to athletic movement than woven dress fabric.

The shirt debuted in the 1920s with short sleeves, a soft but structured collar, a buttoned placket and a longer back hem. Lacoste also wore the collar turned up to protect his neck from the sun. The famous crocodile emblem appeared on the chest soon afterward, helping make it one of the earliest prominent logos placed on the outside of a garment.

A common mix-up is to confuse the original fabric with modern Lacoste products. Contemporary polos may use polyester, blends or other cotton knits, but the classic first shirt was cotton piqué. In 1933, Lacoste partnered with André Gillier to commercialize the design through Chemise Lacoste.