Knitwear is at the very foundation of Lacoste.

In 1933, when René Lacoste set out to market the revolutionary polo shirt he had designed a few years earlier to withstand the heat on the American courts, he introduced another major innovation: the Petit Piqué cotton knit. Made using particularly resistant premium threads—some taut, others looser—this textured mesh, with its fine honeycomb pattern, is both breathable and lightweight, embodying Lacoste’s ideal of elegance and freedom of movement.

Building on a success that would extend far beyond the tennis court to wardrobes around the world, Lacoste has continually expanded its knitwear expertise across new materials, techniques, and products. With time, new signature pieces have emerged, embodying timeless casual elegance or the brand’s graphic codes — from the 1960s carded wool cardigan knitted in garter stitch to the 1970s V-neck tennis sweater with stripes reminiscent of court lines. The Petit Piqué has inspired other designs and continues to feature across collections in its later variations, such as the mini Piqué.

True to René Lacoste’s pioneering spirit, the brand also continues to pair its expertise with sport. Its Tennis, Golf, and Training collections are packed with technically advanced knits. A prime example is the polo shirt worn by Novak Djokovic on the professional tennis tour, crafted from one of the lightest jerseys on the market with innovative seamless construction, delivering a second-skin feel and maximum comfort through stretch properties and Ultra Dry sweat-wicking technology. This performance-led approach increasingly informs the sportswear range for enhanced comfort, as seen in the launch of the Chino Commuter, made with lightweight, water-repellent 4-way stretch knit.