Exclusive Striped-Collar Jersey Polo Regular Fit

Verified claims

Sizing

Regular fit is a mid-ground; runs small; order size up if between; size M chest 20 in.

Fit consistency

Pima interlock fabric resists shrinkage and drapes closer, giving a structured sleek fit.

Competitive pricing

Simons-exclusive sale price undercuts Ralph Lauren, Sunspel, and Lacoste's own L.12.12.

Material

100% pima cotton interlock jersey replaces the classic piqué with a smoother, more stable fabric that requires air drying.

Warmth

Wears warmer than a piqué polo, so it's better for transitional weather than hot weather.

Heritage

Striped collar is a direct design link to the 1933 L.12.12 original.

Exclusivity

This polo is part of the 'Lacoste at Le 31' exclusive capsule for Simons.

Garment care

Wash at 30°C gentle, no dryer, no fabric softener.

Durability

Pima interlock resists pilling, twisting, and hem curling.

Crocodile emblem

Crocodile logo traces to René Lacoste's 1920s nickname and 1927 blazer.

L.12.12 code

L.12.12 code encodes fabric, sleeve, and iteration from the 1933 tennis shirt.

Collar

Striped collar and placket originate from 1933 tennis polo and preppy heritage.

Exclusive edition

Exclusive to Simons as Lacoste at Le 31 capsule, preserving heritage cues.

Product record

Title

Exclusive Striped-Collar Jersey Polo Regular Fit

Brand

Lacoste

Price

135 CAD

Availability

In stock

The legacy of the Lacoste polo shirt

• The original 1933 tennis shirt bore the code L.12.12 — L for Lacoste, 1 for the cotton fabric, 2 for the short-sleeve silhouette, and 12 for the final design iteration — meaning every Lacoste polo inherits a naming logic that reflects its sportswear engineering roots.
• Part of the 'Lacoste at Le 31' capsule exclusively for Canadian retailer Simons, this polo demonstrates the brand's ongoing strategy of translating its tennis heritage into limited-edition formats — the crocodile, ribbed collar, and precise body are preserved as signifiers, ensuring that even a special project reads instantly as Lacoste, not an anonymous basic.
• The embroidered crocodile logo directly references the nickname given to tennis champion René Lacoste in the 1920s, which he first had stitched onto his blazer in 1927, making the symbol one of the earliest visible brand logos on clothing and lending this polo an authentic pre-luxury heritage.
• The contrasting 2-button striped polo collar on this Simons exclusive evokes the preppy, varsity-inspired tennis trims popularized by Lacoste in the 1960s and 1970s, tapping into a specific chapter of the brand's visual history when the polo became a cultural status symbol beyond the court.
• Where the original 1933 polo used a textured cotton piqué fabric for breathability in tennis, this version's 100% pima cotton interlock jersey is a modern upgrade that swaps the bumpy texture for a denser, smoother surface with soft hand and gentle drape, better suited to contemporary smart-casual wear while still nodding to the brand's commitment to premium cotton.

Pima cotton interlock jersey: what makes it superior

• Lacoste’s signature petit piqué — a small, diamond-shaped textured knit — has been the brand’s hallmark since 1933; this exclusive Simons edition foregoes that for a pima interlock jersey, resulting in a polo that trades the casual, airy sport look for a more refined, smooth-faced garment that feels closer to a luxury knit.
• Because interlock construction is inherently more dimensionally stable than single jersey, the fabric is less likely to twist or shrink out of shape — combined with pima’s fiber strength, the polo maintains its regular-fit silhouette through repeated cold washes, provided the dryer is avoided as per Lacoste’s care instructions.
• With a staple length typically exceeding 1⅜ inches, pima cotton produces a cleaner, more uniform yarn than standard upland cotton — the result is a jersey surface that is smoother to the skin, less prone to pilling, and exhibits a natural sheen that elevates the depth of a black polo.
• Interlock knit is built from two interlocked rows of loops that face each other, yielding a fabric that is smooth on both sides, resists curling at the hem, and traps more air than a single jersey — so this polo wears warmer and hangs with the clean drape of a lightweight sweatshirt, not the cling of a tissue-weight tee.

The Simons exclusive: what makes this polo different

• Le 31 is Simons' boutique-like menswear concept that seeks out exclusive brand collaborations; the 'Lacoste at Le 31' polo is a product of that curatorial approach, positioning it as a special-issue garment with a backstory that standard-issue Lacoste polos lack.

The striped collar detail: style cues and origins

• By the 1950s, the Lacoste tipped-collar polo had become a cornerstone of American preppy dress, documented in Lisa Birnbach’s 'The Official Preppy Handbook' as part of the essential wardrobe — giving this collar an instantly legible code of collegiate, East Coast casual luxury.
• The two-button placket was part of Lacoste's original design to keep the soft collar lying flat while allowing it to stand up for sun protection — a functional detail that today frames the striped collar and reinforces the shirt's authenticity as a genuine tennis-derived piece, rather than a purely fashion-driven copy.
• René Lacoste's original L.12.12 polo from 1933 incorporated a contrasting ribbed collar with a tipped edge — derived from the cricket sweaters and tennis cardigans of the era — establishing the striped collar as the brand's most enduring design code after the crocodile logo itself.
• Lacoste's tipped collar replaced the starched, stiff collars of traditional tennis whites, introducing a softer, more athletic silhouette that still carried a touch of club formality through the trim; this polo's striped collar taps into that pivotal moment when sportswear began to define modern menswear.