I remember looking like the preppiest kid in town whenever my mom would dress my siblings and I in Lacoste polo shirts and dresses. Back then, the clothes created by the popular brand were not nearly as expensive as they are today.
Somewhere along the way, the crocodile logo became a status symbol, and like many high-end designer brands, only those who were well off were able to afford their products.
As I got older, it became more and more clear to me that I would have to settle for window shopping at Lacoste because no way would I spend that much money on a shirt.
I don't recall when the last time I wore a Lacoste shirt was, but the French company's latest move has actually convinced me that it may be time to give them another chance.
Instead of making the grinning crocodile appear bigger, like some customers have previously requested, the company is actually making it disappear.
Lacoste recently announced that for the first time in 85 years, they're dropping their iconic logo, but there's no need to worry because it's temporary, and for a great cause.
In a bid to raise awareness and funds for the world's endangered species, the company has partnered up with International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and BETC Paris, and decided to replace its crocodile logo with other animals that deserve our attention.
For their special limited-edition capsule collection, customers will be able to purchase polo shirts with the world's top 10 endangered species.
The number of shirts available are based off of how many of each species remain in the world.
The "Save Our Species" collection includes a total of 1,775 shirts, and the featured animals include the vaquita (also known as Gulf of California porpoise), the Burmese roofed turtle, the northern sportive lemur, the Javan rhino, the cao-vit gibbon, the kakapo (a type of bird), the California condor, the saola, the Sumatran tiger, and the Angeda ground iguana.
The shirts were launched during Paris Fashion Week, and they're currently available for purchase on the Save Our Species website.
To no one's surprise, the shirts do not come cheap. They're selling for around $183, but it's nice to know that the profit will go towards the preservation of these species that are on the brink of extinction.
As I mentioned at the start, I'm normally not one to spend this much money on a piece of clothing when I could put it towards bills and other important things, but conservation efforts are something that I'm very passionate about. Knowing that every penny from this sale will go to help animals makes it a worthwhile splurge.
We often hear about how more well-known animals, like pandas and giant otters, are going extinct, but we don't hear enough about the lesser known species.
I applaud Lacoste for this initiative, and because of it, after decades of not buying their products, they've earned my business again.
What do you think of the new Lacoste logos? Let us know!