Everybody’s shirts

Making a packet from Polos

R.E.M. front man Michael Stipe has designed a limited edition polo shirt for French clothing label Lacoste.

Lacoste’s third Holiday Collector’s Series – which lets a non fashion designer loose to re-imagine their classic polo shirt – sees the R.E.M singer putting his own style into the brand. Stipe’s shirt features a two-tone photographic image of a crowd at a stadium concert (from the perspective of the stage perfomer). The singer’s contribution is one of twelve invited to feature in a book by Visionaire 54 Sport, a collaboration with Lacoste to celebrate its 75th birthday – which highlights innovative fashion imagery.

The dedicated website attached to the promotion showcases songs from R.E.M’s current album ‘Accelerate’ with links through to purchase from the Warner Bros Records Store.

So What?: What’s the frequency of your shirt Kenneth? Ok, it’s not Hawaiian, but that’s still a fairly bold pattern for the polo shirt brigade to be rocking. Apparently it “contrasts against colours of the Lacoste petit pique fabric that both obliterates detail and accentuates silhouette.” Lets not kid ourselves here, this is a collectors item – it even comes in an LP-inspired sleeve – and as art it works for both brand and band. REM get to air their music and receive click through and Lacoste nets a dash of music credibility. However, as actual clothing this one will (quite literally) blend into the crowd.

“When I think of tennis and music, I see Cliff’s impromptu Wimbledon singsongs and shudder. Lacoste is, of course, about much more than tennis now and this extension into music confirms their desire for broader style icon status. A tie-in with an avant-garde pop-star serves that purpose and they’ve certainly done well to secure the services of Mr.Stipe”
Ant Swede, Creative Planner, FRUKT

www.lacoste.com