Novak Djokovic’s long-rumoured sponsorship deal with Lacoste was officially announced on Monday, which happens to coincide with the Serbian star’s 30th birthday.
Djokovic, whose five-year deal with Uniqlo has expired, will debut his Lacoste gear at next week’s French Open, where he is the defending champion.
“The Novak Djokovic collection is a line of performance products that fuse functionality with style,” read a press release from Lacoste. “This wardrobe, perfect for the players who, like Novak Djokovic, pay attention to all the details of a game, will be available in Lacoste boutiques, starting May 2017.
“All the collection items were engineered from materials handpicked for their quality and performance. Every detail is geared towards comfort: ergonomic stitching prevents chaffing while the cuts bring about ease of movement.”
Djokovic’s signature is printed on the left sleeve of the polo shirt whose graphics are inspired by the lines of a tennis court.
Varying touches of blue, white and red challenge the plain background in order to bring about a relaxed and quintessentially French style. White or black shorts come to complete the silhouette.
For its new advertising campaign, the brand imagined a changeover between the two champions, René Lacoste and Djokovic.
The film, directed by Julien Pujol, bears witness to the Brand’s defining moment: the invention of the Lacoste L.12.12 Polo shirt – the day upon which René Lacoste decided to break away from contemporary tennis dress codes by cutting off the sleeves of his shirt in order to allow himself greater freedom of movement.
As the new face of the brand, Djokovic is at the heart of the print campaign shot by photographer Jacob Sutton. The visuals combine 1930s black and white with the present-day collections’ colors. A composition that is a testament to the brand’s timelessness.