Which clothing brand founded by a tennis champion uses a green crocodile logo? Lacoste uses the logo. The company was founded in 1933 by French tennis champion René Lacoste and entrepreneur André Gillier, initially under the name La Chemise Lacoste.
René Lacoste was nicknamed “the Crocodile” because of his tenacity on court. His friend Robert George created a crocodile design that Lacoste wore on his blazer, and the emblem later became one of fashion’s earliest prominent clothing logos. The company’s early signature product was a lightweight, short-sleeved tennis shirt that became the modern polo shirt.
The crocodile is sometimes mistakenly called an alligator, but Lacoste’s official emblem is a crocodile. Fred Perry also has a famous sportswear logo, while Ellesse and Le Coq Sportif are other athletic brands; none uses Lacoste’s distinctive green crocodile as its signature mark. The brand later expanded into footwear, fragrances, eyewear, leather goods, and other apparel.