Lacoste on-court apparel outfits the top-two ATP players in the world and now the brand has added performance tennis sneakers to the lineup, debuted by ATP No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in Miami.
The AG-LT21 Ultra brings Lacoste back into the performance tennis space, joining the fashion-first tennis-inspired footwear designs and performance apparel already seen on Medvedev and Novak Djokovic (Djokovic has a signature on-court sneaker deal with Japanese footwear maker Asics).
The French-based heritage brand calls the AG-LT21 a “futuristic and high-performance combination at the crossroads of tennis and gaming,” designed to promote speed, stability and agility.
“Even before trying the pair on, I really enjoyed its design and the varied color palette,” says Medvedev, “that will allow me to change my style throughout the season. The look is new, different from what we are used to seeing on the courts.”
MORE: Daniil Medvedev Has Proved His Talent. Now He Wants To Build His Brand.
The woven mesh upper serves multiple purposes for Lacoste, creating both a breathable upper and improving the lightweight construction, but it also offers an aesthetic difference that Medvedev alludes to by showing a glimpse of the shoe’s inner cage while allowing designers to play with color.
Expect to find in-house technologies, such as a Pebax frame designed for lightweight energy return, a Dow EVA foam and an outsole featuring Goodyear GT rubber for grip on multiple surfaces highlighting the new design. The upper’s resistance to abrasion includes a Kurim shield in molded rubber at the front of the foot. A double lacing system, adjustable internal cage and padded cuff focus on support and comfort.
“Just like any tennis player, I expect comfort as well as performance from my footwear,” Medvedev says, “and I was seduced by the ease with which I was able to change direction while remaining very stable on the court.”
The debut of the $175 performance shoe comes in four initial colorways for both men and women. Three of the designs have a base of white, with one adding red and blue, another green and yellow and the third an all-white option. The fourth launch colorway is black with yellow.
Lacoste, known for creating the polo shirt in 1933 under the direction of founder and professional French tennis player Rene Lacoste, has remained a staple of tennis lifestyle wear ever since. The brand, known for its crocodile logo, now includes apparel, fragrances, home wear, watches and eyewear while retaining a focus on tennis.
Medvedev, who moved to France from Russia when he was 18, says that since signing with Lacoste he’s grown his interest in fashion, especially since the brand is about more than just athletic apparel. “I felt I had to just learn something new for myself and now I’m really into it,” he says, crediting his wife, Daria, with helping him. “She knows much more about looking good than me. Her and Lacoste help me look better.” Now that look is of the head-to-toe variety.
