Joyeux Anniversaire Le Crocodile

Hello-Hello, happy new week to everyone, hopefully those with an extended weekend are enjoying every minute of it.

Today we look at a storied brand, one more than a few preps grew up wearing. This image offers a clue.

Photo by Henri Manuel via WWD.com

Many will recognize René Lacoste, inventor of the modern tennis wear now known as a ‘polo shirt’ and eponymous company.  It was 1927 when the tennis great created his first shirt for wear on the court, 1933 when the company was formed, called La Société Chemise Lacoste.  As Women’s Wear Daily notes, that was the year seeing “Industrial production of the first Lacoste shirts, in particular the white “petit piqué” cotton polo shirt, code-named the “L.12.12.” Below we see the tennis great in 1927.

Lacoste

One of the first things many think of when hearing the name “Lacoste” is that critter on the shirt’s upper left chest; Mr. Lacoste’s nickname was “Le Crocodile”. More from this WWD story:

The crocodile logo on his shirts is regarded in branding history as the first instance of a visible logo, although, ironically, it was criticized as vulgar at the time. And while the concept of product placement had not yet been invented, René Lacoste gave his crocodile shirts to friends to wear on the courts, building brand awareness.

Below, a 1993 print ad.

Courtesy Photo via WWD.com

One of the more fascinating aspects of the logo story: check out the size of the animal on Mr. Lacoste’s jacket.

Biography.com

As the company celebrates its 80th anniversary it is doing very well. Its expansion has continued throughout the decades. Below, the brand’s Paris flagship store on the Champs-Elysées.

Courtesy Photo via WWD.com

The company continued to innovate, Mr. Lacoste designed many inventions, including a steel racket, ball launcher and other items. Below, one of my favorite photos of the tennis champion and businessman.

Lacoste also pursued philanthropic efforts as well, for the company’s 60th anniversary they donated more than $1 million to a campaign trying to eradicate multiple sclerosis, more recently they have supported the BCRF (Breast Cancer Research Foundation) and efforts to save endangered alligators, crocodiles.

Over the years the brand has not lost its sense of whimsy, below we see its Valentine’s Day greeting appropriately rendered in red polo shirts.

Lacoste Facebook page

Last week Lacoste showed it’s fall ready to wear collection. There is little that held appeal for your faithful scribe.

Giovanni Giannoni WWD.com

In honor of the 80th anniversary Lacoste is offering limited edition polo shirts, like this one with the number 8.

Lacoste.com

Lacoste still offers tennis togs, as well as swim, golf and other sporting apparel.

Lacoste

Although much of the marketing is aimed at a younger customer.

Lacoste

There are other initiatives in addition to apparel and accessories, like the Lacoste Lab.

Lacoste Lab

The brand continues its tennis roots as well.

Lacoste Tennis

Its Lacoste Live collection is edgier, hipper.

Lacoste

Online the company even has a section on envisioning the polo of the future.

Lacoste

But there are still plenty of basics for those of us fond of the pieces that are the brand’s heritage.

Lacoste

Many of the polo More from the spring assortment.

Lacoste

It’s great to see the brand in a healthy position. I remain a fan, despite being a touch (cough-cough) beyond the demo Lacoste is pursuing. As long as they continue to offer quality merchandise at an acceptable price I’ll be happy to be a customer.

And to think I was worried it would be hard to find an image of a birthday cake appropriate for the post.

Lacoste Twitter Feed

Silly Princess.

Until next time,

More Lilly Pulitzer Sneak Peek & “When Logos Attack”

Hello-Hello everyone, happy Thursday!

We are ever-so-pleased to finally be composing our little post today, because it means that electrical service has been restored to the Prepatorium. Honestly, this is the sort of thing that causes us to question the wisdom of that moat around the Palace, you all know the perils of raising the drawbridge when lacking electrical power, the minions are just so cranky on this issue.

And frankly, the timing is classic, as we had such grand Bloggage plans today, coordinated in advance with Miss Misadventures Herself (aka Misadventures of a Newlywed) as we were covering the same topic, and we were both going to send our readers to each other’s site to “see more pictures.” Pictures of what, you ask?

Why, it’s time to share more from this fall’s new (and exceptionally fabulous) Lilly Pulitzer Stationery and Gifts Collection, arriving here at the Princess within weeks!

We start with the new Lilly Holiday Ornament Sets.

PreppyPrincess.com

These are offered in our favorite color combo, natch, and will run $17.50 for a set of three.

PreppyPrincess.com

We have moved up the start of pre-ordering, it begins Monday, the 6th!

Next on our hit parade, the Lilly Highlighters Set, an ideal gift for any time of the year, definitely perfect as a stocking stuffer.

PreppyPrincess.com

Also new on the horizon, the Lilly Cocktail Shakers, more-than-fun IOHO, sure to make any beverage tastier.

PreppyPrincess.com

Shaken Up and Juice Bar, left to right respectively, are the patterns for the shakers, retailing at $39.50.  And Juice Bar will match all of the other Lilly Juice Bar and Juice Stand tableware for an even more stylish table.

Also on the beverage front, new Thermal Travel Mugs.

PreppyPrincess.com

The patterns are Vintage Patch, Private Property and Trouble Hibiscus; these are $15.50. We have more images of the Paper Doll Book:

Preppy Princess

Does anyone else recognize a familiar piece of clothing or two…? These look like loads of fun for your Tiny Prep.

We cannot believe how quickly our IT Department (cough-cough, IT Dept = The Consort) has created the new web pages for everyone to use to pre-order, he is just Mr. Speedy!

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This next item is so incredibly fabulous we absolutely had to include it today, despite it making the post even pokier than usual.

It’s the collaboration between Lacoste and Brazilian designers Fernando and Humberto Campana, creating polo shirts for the preppy retailer’s 4th Holiday Collector’s Series.

Courtesy Lacoste via Dezeen.com

How remarkable are these?

Courtesy Lacoste via Dezeen.com

There will be 20,000 of the limited edition polos available, and while much-too-cool for yours truly, we adore their spirit.

There will also be a “Super-Limited Edition” (ahem) of the shirt seen below, created entirely from the little Lacoste Alligator logos.

Courtesy Lacoste via Dezeen.com

There are to be only 12 men’s and 12 women’s in this version; here is a closer look, via Yatzer.

Courtesy Photo via Yatzer.com

If wondering about our Logophobia, we can only say “non, non, non, ce n’est pas un problème,” for these appear to be done with an artistic eye, yes, but an outlook accompanied by a touch of whimsy.  They do not appear to take themselves too seriously. Very, very witty.

Now, if seeking furniture, the brothers are also noted for their Alligator Chair.

Courtesy Yatzer.com

Indeed.

Grins and giggles until next time!

The Preppish Bargains Continue

Hello everyone, may your day be going better than TP’s! (We’re merely having a Monday on a Wednesday, so to speak.)

We want to alert you to a number of Sales and Savings opportunities currently available, starting with the Hayden-Harnett sale. Significant markdowns have been taken on many items in all categories, including their Toulouse Weekender now at $244; the original price was $348.

Brooks Brothers is promoting their continued Clearance, with prices reductions of 50% to 70% according to their mailer.

BrooksBrothers.com

We are somewhat tempted by the Wool Chalkstripe Coat, very handy for a winter here in The Great Midwest.  The coat’s original selling price was $798, it is now $239.

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Saks has started their Sale, with a good assortment available across most categories and lines, including many preppish brands. The Tory Burch Mercedes Coat is now $417, discounted from $695.

And from the Lilly Pulitzer Jubilee Collection, Saks offers the Cotton Sateen Fitch Shift.

This one is so luscious we’ll make it today’s Pretty in Pink. The dress retailed at $348; it is now selling at $209.  Not *quite* meriting PIP status but fun nonetheless: Lacoste’s Bold Stripe Cotton Sweater with 3/4 sleeves.

Lacoste continues to carry a significant amount of merchandise that is on sale or discounted in some way at their online store.

Now for an entirely different looking Lacoste tee, how about this avant-garde version?

Via Men.Style.com

A collaboration between Lacoste and the design minds at Andrea Crews, the shirt will be available in July. We simply had to share the tee because of that delightful touch of whimsy in the design, almost mocking the brand’s heritage. (For those wondering if it might trigger a case of Logophobia, goodness, no, no, no, not at all. That can’t happen when the design clearly isn’t intended to be taken seriously.)

With that happy tee as our last image, we say G’bye until next time!

Michael Phelps Resurfaces, Gossip Girl Spinoff & Who is President Obama Wearing to the Inauguration?

Hello-Hello!

If there is anyone on your Christmas or Hanukkah list entranced by superstar Michael Phelps, you face no shortage of gift options.  The Olympic Gold Medalist has been named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year; the magazine makes an ideal stocking stuffer.  (BTW, if you are wondering what the athlete is holding on the SI cover, it is his Armani dinner jacket.  His soaking wet, dripping, drenched dinner jacket.)

PHOTO: Courtesy SI

Below, a photo of Mr. Phelps with his swimming coach Bob Bowman, his mother Debbie and sister Hilary at the SI Sportsman of the Year dinner.

PHOTO: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated

As an update, Michael’s mother continues her partnership with Chico’s; the Debbie Phelps Collection is still prominently featured on the retailer’s website, although the number of items in the collection seems diminished compared to previous levels.

The Olympic superstar’s new book “No Limits: The Will to Succeed” is out this Tuesday, an ideal gift for any Phelps Phans in your household.

PHOTO: Publishing

And Mr. Phelps is among those featured by GQ (Gentleman’s Quarterly) in their Men of the Year special issue.

PHOTO: GQ/Gentleman's Quarterly

Many preps will notice the star still wears his Lacoste Trucker hat, including this trip to visit children at New York’s Beth Israel Hospital on Tuesday.  Most will also recognize the distinctive scarf, although we don’t believe Mr. Phelps has an endorsement arrangement with Burberry as he does with Lacoste.

PHOTO: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated

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Also in men’s fashion news, word today which firm President Elect Obama has selected to design his formalwear for the Inauguration. Chicago-based Hart Schaffner Marx is working on his custom-made tuxedo for the Inaugural balls.  Apparently Mr. Obama has not purchased a new tuxedo in fifteen years. We doubt this will be the only addition to the formal apparel hanging in his new walk-in.

Courtesy Hart Schaffner Marx

The President’s tuxedo will be a one-button notch-lapel style, it is being made by union employees, and the basic model retails for $895.  One can look at all the particulars here on the Hart Schaffner Marx site; it is also available at Nordstrom.  But what if extreme cold hits the nation’s Capitol?  According to a story in WWD…

“Homi Patel, president, chairman and chief executive officer of parent Hartmarx Corp. said he is working with the President-elect’s staff to determine whether Obama will wear a suit with a topcoat to the inauguration ceremony.”

In the interest of full disclosure, we must acknowledge some favoritism toward the brand as the Princess Consort is quite fond of his suits from this retailer.

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Two of our delightful readers share comments on their vastly differing experiences with J. Crew following their recent website meltdown.  Miss La Belette Rouge, who first alerted us to the technical problems J. Crew was experiencing, tells us:

“I went to Jcrew yesterday and they adjusted my purchases and gave me the extra 20% off of the things I bought on black friday.”

While the always-wonderful Very Busy Mom with 4 says:

“I am having shipping issues with JCrew–they still have not sent out my stuff. I called and she made the comment that I put in the order on Nov.28 and and that was a Friday and there were no shipments Saturday or Sunday. So I asked about why it was not sent Monday,Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday…. She said it would be out today–it better be
Sorry I am still fuming…..”

Clearly J. Crew needs to make things right with all customers deliteriously impacted by the site malfunction.  This is likely to take a substantial cash investment.  As we shared in this post, the company has already spent more than $1,000,000 on “customer accommodations…. and appeasement” following this summer’s technical problems.

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An early Christmas gift for Gossip Girl fans: Variety reports a spinoff of the über-hit series is in the works.

“…. sources say a televised “Gossip Girl” spinoff would not be “The It Girl,” nor would it focus on the character of Jenny Humphrey (the character spun off from the “Gossip Girl” books for “The It Girl”), played on TV by Taylor Momsen.“

The story also notes the spinoff is likely to focus on one of nine primary characters from the show now on the air.

Ho-Ho-Ho!

Lacoste ‘Summertime Prep’ Now on Sale & Dust-up over Bridgehampton Polo Matches

If there is one line from Lacoste The Princess has absolutely adored since first viewing, it is the Summertime Prep collection, very light and fun while still incorporating some argyle! Better yet, some pieces in the collection are even marked down to a more favorable price point.

Below we show the Cotton Argyle Vest in a color palette that we love, and the Flat Front Seersucker Short.

Also very high on our favorites list, the Madras Plaid Cotton Short happens to be on sale (originally $120, now $71.99), and it comes in two colorways, the pair shown below left and a darker navy plaid. And then a wonderful piece that tells a little secret about TP: we actually purchase these men’s sweaters for ourselves as they are lush, plush, and ever-so-snuggly against your skin! We’re fawning over the Supima V-Neck Cotton Sweater, available in a delightful array of colors including a soft and gentle pink; this color against your skin is faboo – flattering any face it frames. (This item is also on sale, originally $140 and now $84.99!)

Of course, we suggest you toddle on over to the Lacoste site and take a glance at the goodies yourself, as the selection on the men’s side is quite good, not to mention all of the women’s pieces, especially those on sale.

On a different note, there seems to be quite the dust-up brewing over the real dust created by the ponies in this weekend’s polo matches in Bridgehampton. Two homeowners with property adjacent to the Bridgehampton Polo Club complained at a recent hearing regarding the Mercedes-Benz Polo Challenge Cup, starting this weekend. They weren’t quite as neighborly as one might hope, complaining about the noise, traffic and dust levels created during the matches at a hearing July 8 before the Southampton Town Board. The Challenge Cup begins this Saturday (the 19th) and runs every Saturday through August 23rd.

During last year’s matches there were no noise or traffic complaints. Alex Rodan, president of the Club said “We will be good neighbors,” while speaking at the hearing, promising to dampen the ground in an effort to control the dust. A final vote on the issue is scheduled for this Friday.

If you would like to attend in a somewhat posh setting as these things go, why not bid on a pair of tickets to the VIP tent? The auction for the tickets benefits charity and you’re sure to be safe from most of the elements. Of course no one is 100% safe from the much-discussed dust kicked up by the ponies; to borrow a popular phrase and mangle it, “Dust Happens” at these events.