Alpine Lacoste A290 Rallye Debuts as French Icons Merge Motorsport and Fashion

KUALA LUMPUR, JULY 2026 — Lacoste and Alpine have unveiled a new collaboration inspired by French ingenuity, bringing together two iconic brands known for performance, elegance and sporting heritage.

The partnership introduces two exclusive creations: a one-off car named “Beware of the Crocodile – Alpine Lacoste A290 Rallye” and a capsule fashion collection that translates the same design language into lifestyle pieces.

The collaboration highlights the shared values of both brands. Lacoste, founded through tennis culture and French elegance, meets Alpine, a sports car brand built on motorsport, lightness and driving performance.

According to Alpine, the project was inspired by the legacies of René Lacoste and Jean Rédélé, two French pioneers who transformed their respective fields through innovation, precision and a pursuit of lightness.

At the centre of the collaboration is the one-off Alpine Lacoste A290 Rallye, based on the Alpine A290 Rallye platform. The model was chosen because it represents Alpine’s most extreme and performance-focused version of the A290, designed for customer racing and electric motorsport.

Rather than simply applying a fashion-inspired livery, Lacoste and Alpine created a more complete design concept. The car combines rally-inspired elements with Lacoste’s visual identity, resulting in a bold automotive object that connects sport, style and technical performance.

The name “Beware of the Crocodile” takes inspiration from one of Lacoste’s most recognisable symbols: the crocodile. Alpine said the red of the crocodile’s tongue became a key starting point for the design, appearing throughout the vehicle’s concept.

On the exterior, the one-off model features widened tracks, strongly defined wheels, prominent wings, a roof air intake, a large diffuser, an imposing spoiler and exposed carbon details. These elements give the car a sharper rally identity while maintaining a clean and contemporary visual language.

The car’s exterior shade is described as a bluish white inspired by Alpine landscapes, evoking snow, ice and frost. This colour treatment gives the model a technical and mineral feel, connecting it visually to Alpine’s mountain-inspired identity.

Inside, the cabin takes on a bold monochrome red theme, designed to create the impression of stepping into the crocodile’s mouth. Lacoste’s signature petit piqué fabric is used on the seats and door panels, while embroidered details are produced by Potencier, the historic workshop behind Lacoste’s famous crocodile embroidery.

The interior also includes red anodised structural elements and rally seats featuring 3D-printed parts by ERPRO. Alpine said the technology supports the use of lattice structures that combine lightness, comfort and performance.

A playful detail runs across the entire vehicle: the design includes 290 crocodiles, reinforcing Lacoste’s visual identity while adding a creative signature to the car.

Beyond the vehicle, Lacoste and Alpine also introduced a capsule collection inspired by both the court and the circuit. The collection includes polo shirts, T-shirts, lightweight technical pieces, accessories and co-branded creations.

The pieces are designed to reflect shared values such as performance, lightness, precision and style. Through this collection, the collaboration moves beyond the car itself and becomes a broader expression of French design culture.

The campaign is also supported by a film titled “The Test”, produced by Ninety Films, which was co-founded by actor and Lacoste ambassador Pierre Niney. The film features Niney alongside Pierre Gasly, BWT Alpine Formula One Team driver and Lacoste ambassador.

In the film, the two personalities play themselves in a light, playful encounter centred around the one-off Alpine Lacoste A290 Rallye. The production adds a storytelling element to the collaboration, presenting the car as more than a design object.

For Alpine, the project reinforces its identity as a brand that connects racing, innovation and lifestyle. Founded in 1955 by Jean Rédélé, Alpine has positioned itself as a French sports car brand with a focus on lightweight design, driving pleasure and motorsport expertise.

For Lacoste, the collaboration strengthens its presence at the intersection of fashion and sport. Since creating its first polo shirt in 1933, Lacoste has built a global identity around sporting heritage, relaxed elegance and the iconic crocodile emblem.

The collaboration arrives at a time when fashion and automotive brands are increasingly exploring lifestyle partnerships. For premium labels, these projects allow brands to reach new audiences through culture, design and emotion rather than traditional product categories alone.

The Alpine Lacoste A290 Rallye stands out because it does not simply merge logos. It connects two French histories: tennis and motorsport, elegance and speed, heritage and innovation.

Lacoste CEO Eric Vallat said the two brands share a culture of innovation and imagined the project as a celebration of French ingenuity through performance and elegance. Alpine VP Design Antony Villain described the car as a meeting of two French brands with the same taste for movement, precision and boldness.

With the one-off A290 Rallye, capsule collection and campaign film, Lacoste and Alpine have created a collaboration that sits between automotive design, sportswear and cultural storytelling.