Lacoste polo shirts are as famous as they are expensive, so they are often counterfeited. Some retailers may try to trade the latter at full price: the typical characteristics of this polo shirt, however, can help you understand if it is the original or a fake. The original will feature the silhouette of a detailed crocodile on the left front of the shirt, as well as two vertically stitched buttons, high quality stitching and some specific information listed on the labels.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Check the Crocodile Symbol
Step 1. Look for some details like claws and teeth
The official logo is a dark green crocodile with obvious teeth and claws. The upper jaw is smaller than the lower one and faces upwards. The crocodile's tail should be rounded and directed towards the jaw, not towards the crocodile. Finally, the eyes should be slit rather than round.
- If the crocodile looks like a cartoon character and is devoid of details, it means that the shirt is certainly counterfeit.
- The Lacoste vintage line is an exception: the crocodile is of high quality, but in the same color as the shirt.
Step 2. Make sure the logo is on a white background
The symbol is sewn onto the polo shirt from the back, so you won't be able to see the stitches when looking at the shirt from the front. Check if you can see any seams around the edge, any loose threads or the holes left by the needle: these are possible indicators of counterfeiting.
On some models, such as the vintage one, the crocodile may be printed directly on the shirt
Step 3. Make sure the logo is positioned lower than the second button
The crocodile should be on the left side of the shirt in a central position, between the bottom seam of the collar and the second button. In low quality counterfeits it is often aligned with the bottom seam, which can appear crooked.
In some Lacoste polo models the crocodile is aligned with the bottom seam, so don't rely too much on this indication
Step 4. Flip the pole over to make sure the logo outline is vague
It should be barely noticeable, with no traces of color, threads, or noticeable stitching. If the finish does not seem clear to you, it is a fake.
Method 2 of 3: Inspect the Buttons
Step 1. Check for two buttons sewn vertically
One will be on the top of the collar, the other below: both should have two holes through which the wire runs vertically, not horizontally. The buttons shouldn't be crooked and the thread should hold them firmly in place.
Step 2. Check if the buttons are identical
Each mother-of-pearl button is unique: from a distance you should notice a rainbow shimmer, while as you approach it you should notice that each one has its own particular design. There may also be some veining on the back side. On the contrary, the plastic buttons are mass-produced and all look identical to each other.
Step 3. Touch them to make sure they are mother of pearl
The original Lacoste polo shirts have mother-of-pearl buttons and not plastic. The latter are softer and warmer to the touch, but with harder edges; they also do not have the typical depression in the center characteristic of Lacoste buttons.
If you're still not convinced, try tapping them with a tooth or biting them lightly: mother-of-pearl buttons should be harder and duller than plastic ones
Step 4. Avoid the buttons that have Lacoste printed on them
Usually Lacoste buttons do not have the brand name printed on them, so this could be a sign that the button is plastic and therefore fake. However, from 2017 Lacoste polo shirts may have the name on the buttons, depending on the model.
Method 3 of 3: Study the Labels
Step 1. Make sure the shirt size is indicated with a number
Lacoste polo shirts are designed in France, so the sizes are indicated in numbers. Above the symbol you should see a red number, for example 4. In the event that sizes such as “small”, “medium” or “large” appear on the polo shirt, it is a fake.
Step 2. Look for the presence of a detailed crocodile on the label
The animal should be of an olive green color and should, as always, have recognizable claws and teeth, a red mouth and white scales on the back. Make sure the shape is clean and not irregular; the authentic symbol will not have any messy lines running through the colored part.
The best counterfeits closely resemble the original, so try to study them carefully. They will not be very detailed, so the crocodile may seem a bit squashed or the eyes and scales may appear irregular and excessively close together
Step 3. Look for the second label indicating the origin of the shirt
If the second label is present, it will be immediately below the first. The first sentence shown should be “Designed in France”: this wording should not be covered by the first label. The second sentence should indicate “Made in”, followed by the name of a country, usually El Salvador or Peru: Lacoste polo shirts made in France are rare.
Not all polo shirts have this second label because many only have a large one with the logo on it: it is therefore advisable to use other methods to identify them
Step 4. Check the label with the instructions for washing inside the shirt
It will be located at the bottom and will first show the wording "100% cotton" in 7 different languages. On the other side you will find the washing instructions and the word "Devanlay", which is the name of the company that owns the brand. No portion of fabric should cover the letters on the label.
- Any counterfeit T-shirts may have washing instructions on the front of the label, which may also be sewn irregularly and have threads sticking out or illegible letters.
- The label may be located above some triangle engravings on the side of the shirt. Make sure those incisions are small and have no hanging threads.
Advice
- Always be wary of great deals: in Italy the cost of an authentic Lacoste polo ranges from 70 to 80 euros. If it sounds too cheap to you, it's probably a fake.
- Counterfeit polo shirts are often associated with poor quality from loose threads, worn cuffs, or seams that come undone after a few washes. However, even an authentic polo shirt could be ruined, while some counterfeits could be of high quality.
- Some authorized retailers sell damaged packaging or clothing: these are original products that are sold at a discount.
- If you have any doubts, go on the Internet and compare the t-shirt you bought with those of the official Lacoste store.
