A Tribute to Tennis Greatness Debuts at Fifth Avenue Flagship Ahead of the US Open
Last Friday evening, on the second floor of Lacoste’s newly opened flagship on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, a crowd has gathered for more than fashion. With the US Open looming, Novak Djokovic joined the French House in New York to unveil the Goat Collection—a limited-edition five-piece capsule that reimagines Lacoste’s iconic crocodile as a goat, paying tribute to the 24-time Grand Slam champion and cementing his place in tennis history.
Titled From the Crocodile to the Goat, the capsule symbolizes Djokovic’s standing as the greatest of all time, blending performance, legacy, and personal style. A green goat—quietly replacing the signature crocodile—now adorns five classic Lacoste staples: a polo, hoodie, T-shirt, shorts, and cap. The all-white palette brings sharp focus to the emblem, marking a tongue-in-cheek but pointed evolution of the brand’s visual language.
Surrounded by four towering posters depicting his victories at each Grand Slam, Djokovic addressed 50 or so guests seated in a semicircle around him. “Being in a partnership with Lacoste is incredible just by being one of their ambassadors since 2017,” he said. “Seeing this campaign come to life and crocodile being converted into the goat is something that I almost have to pinch myself to remind myself the reality that I’m living at the moment. This isn’t just about what I’ve done—it’s about the support I’ve had from people around the world. That’s what makes this collection so meaningful.”
Since joining Lacoste nearly eight years ago, Djokovic has secured 12 of his 24 Grand Slam titles wearing kits marked by the crocodile. From the multi-blue design he wore to clinch his record-breaking 24th Slam at the 2023 US Open to his all-white Wimbledon looks, his partnership with Lacoste has been about more than apparel—it’s been about building a visual language for a modern sports legend.
“Novak Djokovic has been part of the Lacoste family for over eight years,” said Thierry Guibert, CEO of Lacoste. “Together, we have shared an exceptional period, during which he won 12 Grand Slam titles—half of his career total. Beyond the extraordinary player, his tenacity, mindset and values have contributed to elevating and amplifying the brand. Transforming our crocodile into a goat today to pay tribute to him, and unveiling the collection here, where René built his legend, was an obvious choice.”
That symbolism runs especially deep in New York, the city where René Lacoste earned his nickname “the Crocodile,” where he won the US Championships in 1926 and 1927, and where the concept of the polo shirt was first imagined. The Fifth Avenue flagship, just steps from those same courts, now serves as the setting for this tribute—bridging nearly a century of tennis heritage, from René to Novak.
Djokovic’s records are unrivaled: 24 Grand Slam titles (the most ever by a male player), the most weeks ranked world No. 1, the highest number of Grand Slam match wins, and a double career sweep of all nine Masters 1000 tournaments—an achievement no one else has matched.
As Djokovic sets his sights on a potential 25th Grand Slam, beginning his 2025 US Open campaign against American Zachary Svajda, the Goat Collection serves as both a celebration and a time capsule—marking the legacy of an athlete still shaping the future of the sport.
The collection is available now in select global markets and debuted at Lacoste’s Fifth Avenue boutique in New York. From crocodile to goat, it’s the evolution of an icon—and a symbol of greatness still in motion.
