Lacoste's New Sunglasses Are Long on 'Cool Guy' Vibes

Who doesn’t want to look like an effortlessly cool French guy taking in a little tennis at Stade Roland Garros? No one, that’s who. Which is why it’s so nice—with the French Open beginning at the end of May—that the folks at Lacoste just released a new sunglasses style that’s perfectly suited to that sort of thing.

Named the New Icon, the oversized acetate aviator delivers bold vibes while maintaining an essential undercurrent of gallic cool, something that’s been at the heart of the brand since tennis star René Lacoste founded it in 1933.

“There’s something very French about Lacoste eyewear—the mix of heritage and modernity, elegance with an edge—that really resonates with me,” says French tennis player Arthur Fils, who’s an ambassador for Lacoste.

Courtesy of Lacoste

The New Icon comes in three translucent hues.

The New Icon takes classic Lacoste elements like the crocodile emblem—René earned the nickname Le Crocodile for his on-court ferocity—and blends them with fashion-forward touches like exaggerated temple bars, exposed core wires, and a suite of translucent hues. (Our favorite? A rusty color that Lacoste calls “light peach” but reminds us of a clay court more than anything else.)

The eyewear capsule draws inspiration from the debut runway collection presented by Lacoste’s newest creative director, Pelagia Kolotouros. Fittingly, that show took place on center court at Stade Roland Garos, the home of the French open. As with all things Lacoste, eventually it comes back to tennis.

“My game is built on power, intensity, and a relentless drive, and I feel that same energy in the way Lacoste pushes boundaries in both fashion and sport,” says Fils. “There’s also a deep sense of French heritage and excellence in everything they do, and as a French athlete, that’s something I take a lot of pride in.”