That dichotomy transformed athletic jersey shirts into loose dresses with tie-waist constructions that floated behind the models like the extravagant tiers of a formal Charles James gown
(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Against a dramatic set of billowing sails, Lacoste's creative director Felipe Oliveira Baptista yanked the casualness out of his sporty pieces this season, while lowering the classic quotient on all things that could have read formal. That dichotomy transformed athletic jersey shirts into loose dresses with tie-waist constructions that floated behind the models like the extravagant tiers of a formal Charles James gown. Cinch-waist, full-skirt dresses were cut from super casual chambray fabric, while sleeveless car coats swung in a stiffened bonded fabric. You don't go to a Lacoste show and expect to see something to wear to the office, but that nearly happened with several of the men's pieces, which fell neatly together in colour co-ordinated sets, like a T-shirt shaped top and matching shorts that were cut from a thick technical maroon-coloured material. The starting point for this multi-functioning collection was sailing, so most of the clothes possessed a performance slant regardless of whether they would see any sporting action or not. Athletic jersey tops got transformed into dressy dresses, while tailored jackets got de-dramatised, with zip-front scuba tops featuring Lacoste's famously perky alligator.

That dichotomy transformed athletic jersey shirts into loose dresses with tie-waist constructions that floated behind the models like the extravagant tiers of a formal Charles James gown

(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Full-skirt dresses were cut from super casual chambray fabric

(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Full-skirt dresses were cut from super casual chambray fabric, while sleeveless car coats swung in a stiffened bonded fabric

(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

Athletic jersey shirts into loose dresses with tie-waist constructions

(Image credit: Jason Lloyd-Evans)

JJ Martin