Arthur Fils: A Generational Talent With A Prodigy’s Style
Lacoste nets rising French tennis star Arthur Fils as a brand ambassador to continue the legacy of style and grace that its founder, René Lacoste, began building a century ago.
Unlike many other sports, tennis at the highest levels, despite the fierce velocity and pure athleticism it requires, has always brought a certain sense of style to its professional ranks. From the strawberries and cream and jackets and ties of Wimbledon to its players, style has always seemed synonymous with the sport.
On the women’s side, from Margaret Court to Evonne Goolagong, Billie Jean King to Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova to Serena Williams, all possessed an individual look and elegance even while playing. On the men’s side, from the gentlemanly grace of Roger Federer and Stan Smith to the animal magnetism of Andre Agassi and Rafael Nadal, each possessed a certain sense of style even while zipping back a cross-court winner. There was a time in the 1970s when the flowing-maned “Ice-Borg,” Sweden’s impeccable and unflappable Björn Borg, was mobbed by fans wherever he went, leading John McEnroe to say going up against his leading rival was like competing against a Beatle for attention.
The genesis of style in tennis can be traced back to Frenchman René Lacoste, a seven-time Grand Slam winner who dominated the sport in the 1920s. Lacoste was one of “Les Mousquetaires,” or The Four Musketeers, along with Jean Borotra, Jacques Brugnon and Henri Cochet, a legendary group that won the Davis Cup for France in both 1927 and 1928. A global sportsman with a refined elegance and unmistakable swagger on and off the court, Lacoste was nicknamed “the Crocodile” for the way he dealt with opponents, a nickname that was also taken up by the American press after he bet his team captain a crocodile-skin suitcase he would win a match. He used the crocodile as his symbol when he formed his clothing company, Lacoste, in 1933, producing a tennis shirt also known as the polo shirt. His signature look has been adopted around the world since then and has been fashionable for nearly a century.
“For me, joining Lacoste means becoming part of a company that is both iconic and on a human scale, assuring myself of excellent support daily, as well as for major tournaments.”
Lacoste is now continuing that synergy of sport and style by bringing on board as a brand ambassador Frenchman Arthur Fils, one of the fastest-rising and most exciting young players in the game, following in the Lacoste footsteps of Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev, the world’s Number 1 and 3, respectively – the rarified air that Fils, who ended 2023 ranked Number 36th in the world, may someday enjoy. “We’re honoured to count Arthur Fils among the Crocodile’s ambassadors,” says Thierry Guibert, CEO of Lacoste. “On and off the court, his energy is contagious, and his humility fascinates us. Arthur’s professionalization is a logical next step in his career, just as it is for us to accompany him every step of the way to victory. What’s more, his desire to inspire the next generation of players and leave a lasting impact on the world of tennis, while remaining true to his roots, is totally in line with the values we share.”
The partnership of Lacoste and Fils is a natural union because of what they both bring to the sport. Fils had a remarkable start to his relatively young career, winning his first ATP title at the age of just 19 and racking up victories in both the Grand Slam and Masters 1000 tournaments and qualifications, all while displaying the personality and style that would make René Lacoste proud as a leader among the Next-Gen players who will soon be podium-bound.
Lacoste becomes Fils’ equipment supplier while Fils becomes the ambassador of this famed global brand’s textile and eyewear collections. “I’m delighted to be joining Lacoste, which, for me, symbolizes elegance, authenticity and the union between style and sporting performance,” says Fils. “Lacoste is part of the tennis imagination and represents a strong history, marked by the legacy of René Lacoste and the legend of Les Mousquetaires. For me, joining Lacoste means becoming part of a company that is both iconic and on a human scale, assuring myself of excellent support daily, as well as for major tournaments.”
From such modest beginnings – René Lacoste’s simple polo shirt adorned with his signature crocodile logo – the company has evolved into a global powerhouse, diversifying into different sports product lines including its golf line, whose brand ambassadors include Masters champion José María Olazábal of Spain and Scottish great Colin Montgomerie. It now features clothing, footwear, sportswear, eyewear, leather goods, perfume, towels and watches sold through its 1,100 stores in 98 countries, for a worldwide revenue of US$2.5 billion in 2022.
Keep your eye on Arthur Fils in tennis in 2024 and beyond, and also keep an eye on that Lacoste crocodile logo on his shirt. As founder René Lacoste showed a century ago, there is no reason why you cannot dominate your opponent while enjoying a certain style along the way.
