Lacoste Polo Shirt

As the old aphorism goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but the unwary buyers of counterfeit Lacoste merchandise might not be so pleased to find that their designer threads are duds.

Is there any way to spot a fake Lacoste polo shirt? Many different websites offer tips on how to spot and avoid knock-offs.  I’ve compiled a list of general wisdom on how to identify fakes, including some of the methods’ criticisms and pitfalls.

1. Material – Lacoste polo shirts use 100% soft cotton.  The material should be neatly threaded with little to no loose threading; cuffs should not appear shredded and stitching shouldn’t come loose after a few washes.  Additionally, the cotton fabric is very breathable and you should be able to see light shine through when holding it up.  Fake Lacostes might come in heavy cotton with no light visible when held up against light, very thin see-through cotton, or cotton in a honeycomb weave.  Genuine Lacoste armbands should not deform easily.
2. Examining the crocodile patch, Lacoste’s trademark symbol, is one of the easiest and most accurate ways to identify a counterfeit.  Designer brands are big on quality control and uniformity, so any variation on their logo is likely to be a fake.  Men’s polo shirts have an embroidered logo patch sewn onto the shirt, rather than printed directly on the shirt. The Lacoste crocodile should be attached seamlessly lacking obvious white stitch marks around the patch.  In genuine Lacoste shirts, the crocodile is distinctly articulated, with visible claws, a thin tail with pointed tip, and neatly defined edges.  “Lacoste” (in words) should not appear inside or on the body of the crocodile.
3. Sizing – Men’s Lacoste polo shirts generally employ European sizes (numbers such as 34, 36, etc).
4. Logo alignment – for the classic Lacoste polo (L1212), the logo should be located on the left hand side, generally found between the bottom stitching and the second button.  Be warned that alignment differs depending on the collection you have, however.
5. Some guides have stated that genuine Lacostes have only plain mother-of-pearl buttons lacking any print.  However, the pearl buttons rule only applies to vintage Lacoste polo shirts – modern ones are often plastic and may have Lacoste printed on them.  To address another internet myth, real Lacoste shirts do often come with three buttons.

Other metrics

1. Lacoste is a designer brand with non-discounted polo short-sleeves generally pricing around $80.  Extremely low prices are a warning sign.
2. Method of Purchase – A lot of Lacoste goods found on eBay are fakes, and even checking feedback can’t protect you as many buyers cannot distinguish the fakes until it is too late.  Be wary of online auctions or suppliers based in Asia – many are scam artists.  Lacoste does have factory discount stores (The Tangers Outlet) that generally sell last season or defective goods.

Many of the guidelines I’ve listed depend on up-close visual analysis, which is often not available when buying from an online source.  The most fool-proof way of verifying that your Lacoste goods are real is to buy it through the Lacoste store, or any major department store like Macy’s, Nordstrom, or Neiman Marcus.

Let me know your tips!

-Kim