From Paris to Providence: Lacoste Live Partners with Cool Cats

PROVIDENCE, RI - For Fall/Winter 2011, LACOSTE L!VE partners with Cool Cats for an exclusive capsule collection. Cool Cats is a young fashion label already known for cutting-edge design partnerships.

Launched on Valentine's Day 2009, this Parisian collective is a collaboration among three longtime friends: Pedro Winter (also known as DJ Busy P), musician and founder of world famous French dance music label Ed Banger Records; So-Me, creative prodigy, artist, DJ and director for the likes of Justice, MGMT and Kanye West; along with Michael Dupouy, expert and creative design authority in sub-cultures, mastermind behind the streetwear almanac All Gone and founder of the communication agency La MJC.

The capsule collection consists of nine pieces designed by the Cool Cats and will drop in December, 2011 at LACOSTE L!VE shops and speciality retailers worldwide. An exclusive color of each item will also be available on the Cool Cats website. There are three polos, two T-shirts, a varsity letter jacket, a cardigan, a crew-neck sweater, a duffle bag and sneakers.

The Cool Cats played with both their own logos and cat mascots as well as the LACOSTE crocodile to come up with several fresh and fun graphic treatments. A triangular-faced cat wearing oversized black sunglasses (the signature Cool Cats logo) is sticking out a crocodile instead of a tongue. The crocodile faces a curled-up cat fast asleep. Another cat reaches into a bag of crocodile candies. And Cool Cats is spelled out inside a varsity-letter C patch with the croc in the center.

Here is a Q&A with the Cool Cats collaborators:

Why did Cool Cats want to collaborate with LACOSTE L!VE?

Pedro: We are French, so LACOSTE means so much for us. Now with the L!VE line it's speaking even more to what we are doing in our life. Music, art, it is all about creating and inventing new ways to enjoy life.
Michael: In terms of French legacy brands, LACOSTE has always been one of my favorites. The new L!VE collection looks really exciting and matches perfectly with the Cool Cats followers and affiliates. It just makes perfect sense to us.

What is your first memory of LACOSTE?

Pedro: My first communion outfit! I have a photo if you want! All dressed in LACOSTE, PINK, don't ask me why... ask my mum!
Michael: For me, LACOSTE will always be associated to Roland-Garros French open. Every year, as a kid, I was waiting for the games in front of the TV and I remember the crocodile was everywhere and influenced me and my friends for life. It was all about style, success, elegance and coolness.

What LACOSTE product have you most admired or appreciated?

Pedro: I'll say the classic white tennis short. I played tennis when i was a kid in the early 90's. It was all about flashy and mullet hair... But LACOSTE class beat them all!
Michael: It's all about the L.12.12 polo shirt. A genuine legend and timeless classic.

What inspired your designs for this capsule collection?

Michael: The main inspiration is fusion between Ivy League and preppy clothing with So-Me's unique style.
So-Me: We wanted to stay in touch with what we've always loved about LACOSTE: its classiness. That said, it was fun to see what we could do by trying to be creative the way we usually like to approach clothes with our own brand. I think the result speaks for itself: a mix of graphic and preppy pieces.

Where did the illustrations come from?

So-Me: On one side we wanted to embrace the classy look of LACOSTE, our input being in the crossing of the classic French brand aesthetics with American school references, which we admit to be a little obsessed with. On the other side because this is L!VE, we allowed ourselves to have fun along the iconic crocodile topic. We created this playful relationship between the crocodile and the cat, the crocodile being wild, with his mouth open ready to bite and the cat contrasting it by being lazy and sleepy.

What kind of guy would you like to see wearing the capsule?

Pedro: I hope we will bring people together. You can be a hip hop head, an cute indie girl or a metal head fan of George Michael inside. This collection is for you!
Michael: The capsule is for everybody who is looking for a bit of swag! All cool guys welcome.
So-Me: You mean "what kind of girl"? I hope the cool kids will wear it and their dads will steal it.

Which pieces do each of you three want the most?

Pedro: The jacket seems to be the one for me! A way to shine Back to School!
Michael: It's so hard to choose ! The whole collection is killer. It's easy to say the stadium jacket is insane, but did you see lately a tee as cool as our crocodile candy? I'm a collector guy, so I would love seeing people trying to get most of the pieces.
So-Me: I want all the polos. I've been a LACOSTE polo lover for ever, and I'm very honored for having been able to add my touch to this historical and timeless piece.

COOL CATS CONTACTS

website: www.coolcats.fr
blogs: http://blog.coolcats.fr/

Busy P: http://busyp.coolcats.fr/
Michael: http://michael-lamjc.coolcats.fr/
So-Me: http://so-me.coolcats.fr

WHERE TO BUY:
Lacoste Cool Cats available at Lacoste Live shops and specialty retailers worldwide (including Sneaker Junkie in Providence, Rhode Island; AKIRA in Chicago; and Extra Butter in Rockville Centre, Long Island).

PRICE: $100.00
LINK: Cool Cats Le Store
PickYourShoes.com

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