FRANCE. It is with regret that The Moodie Report reports the death of Bernard Lacoste, Honorary President of Lacoste SA and son of tennis champion René Lacoste, the founder of the French fashion house which has the famous crocodile as its emblem.
Bernard Lacoste died peacefully on 21 March 2006 at the age of 73 following a serious illness, which led him to hand over the role of President to his brother Michel Lacoste in September 2005.
Bernard Lacoste had been at the helm since 1963, when he presided over a company that sold 300,000 items each year. Today, the sales volume has grown to 50 million items in nearly 110 countries.
In a statement, the company paid tribute to his hard work, profound sense of observation, intuition and sense of style which had helped the house thrive over the years.
He was the driving force behind the brand from its beginnings as the producer of the now-famous crocodile polo-shirt, to a fully-fledged fashion house spanning a range of sportily elegant clothing and accessories. It is now one of the most recognised lifestyle brands in the world.
The Lacoste family vowed to continue growing the brand with great passion in his memory.
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