Lacoste launches new line of Novak Djokovic-inspired clothing in collaboration with French artist
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has been eulogized not just in the history books, but also in popular culture.
Djokovic's hometown in Belgrade has two murals dedicated to him in the vicinity of the building where he took shelter during the 1999 NATO bomb raids. And a month ago, the Serb was immortalized with a new court in France that bore his name, his flag and his caricature - as part of a Lacoste project designed by pop artist Youssef Sy (commonly known as 'Ysy').
Now, the artist has once again decided to team up with the French company to launch a new line of clothing inspired by none other than Novak Djokovic.
Lacoste has debuted its latest capsule collection in collaboration with Youssef Sy, celebrating the World No. 1 tennis player. This "Lacoste x YSY Collection" will be available from 26 August in select Lacoste stores and retail partners as well as the online portal lacoste.com.
The renowned pop artist is best known for creating signature characters in the image of major international sports personalities. And the French sportswear brand - endorsed by Novak Djokovic since 2017 - have decided to capitalize on that.
The Lacoste x YSY Collection will feature a Novak Djokovic caricature as a tribute to the tennis great, and is meant to evoke inspiration, admiration and respect.
We wanted to give the concept a bit more depth by combining it with Novak Djokovic's values: Youssef Sy
The collaboration features limited-edition Lacoste signature polos, hats and sweatshirts. The apparel design integrates elements of nature too, with Youssef depicting motifs such as mountains and the sea in a tennis ball to illustrate the importance of the balance between life and tennis for Novak Djokovic.
When asked about the design collaboration with Lacoste, Sy said:
“After my meeting with Louise Trotter and her team, we agreed that we wanted to give the concept a bit more depth by combining it with values dear to Novak Djokovic and Lacoste."
"His tenacity in holding on to his No. 1 spot, his dedication to work, and the way he passes on his abilities via his foundation and shares with his fans are the values I wanted to highlight in my drawing,” the French artist continued.
By the artist's own admission, Novak Djokovic has served as an inspiration for him since a long time. Sy also pointed out that he created the original Novak Djokovic character in 2016, following his victory at the French Open.