Original or Fake? 10+ Signs Your Lacoste Polo Isn't Legit

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Is your new Lacoste polo the real deal, or do you have to send it back?

Co-authored by Nikita Chen and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: May 31, 2025 Fact Checked

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Crocodile Logo

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Button Details

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Shirt Tags

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Q&A

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Tips

You’re ready to upgrade your wardrobe with a new Lacoste polo shirt, but you’re a little worried that you got ripped off in the process. That’s totally understandable; with Lacoste’s high price point, there are tons of counterfeits floating all over the internet (and in thrift stores). Don’t worry, though—there are plenty of easy ways to inspect your garment to make sure that you’ve purchased the real thing. Read on to learn the telltale signs of a fake Lacoste polo, so you can be informed about your purchase (and return it, if necessary).

Identifying a Fake vs. Real Lacoste Polo

Check the crocodile logo for detailed features and high-quality stitching, and make sure that it sits between the second button and bottom stitching on the front of the shirt.
See if the buttons look unique and feel cool to the touch. Lacoste polos make their buttons with mother of pearl rather than plastic.
Check that the sizing tag uses numbers (rather than solely S/M/L sizing). If it has a second tag, make sure that it says “Designed In France.”
Inspect the inner tag of the shirt to ensure that the shirt is made with 100% cotton (rather than a cotton-polyester blend).

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Crocodile Logo

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1
A fake Lacoste crocodile patch lacks clear details (like claws). The official logo features a deep, dark green crocodile with noticeable teeth and claws. When it comes to the croc’s mouth, the top jaw is slightly smaller and angled upwards from the lower jaw. The inside of the croc’s mouth is shaded red, and the teeth are clearly stitched along both sides of the jaw.^{[1]
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- When it comes to facial features, the croc’s eye should look more slit-like than rounded.^{[2]
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- Some counterfeit polos might have the word “Lacoste” embroidered on the shirt. Ironically, authentic Lacoste polos don’t have this feature.
2
The stitching is incorrect and sloppy. The iconic Lacoste croc gets carefully stitched to each polo shirt—you won’t see any obvious stitching when you give it a close look. To see if it’s a fake, look out for sloppy (and sometimes missing) stitches around the patch’s border.^{[3]
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Nikita Chen
Fashion Authentication Expert

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- Check along the “wrong” side of the patch, too—fake Lacoste polos often have sloppy stitching on this side.^{[5]
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The crocodile logo incorrectly lines up with the bottom shirt slit. On authentic Lacoste polos, the crocodile sits on the middle of the left side of the shirt. It’s stitched between the bottom stitching on the collar and the second button—low-quality fakes often align the crocodile with the bottom stitching.^{[6]
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- Lie the shirt out flat and look at the crocodile patch from an angle. This might make it easier to tell where the patch lines up.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Button Details

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On genuine Lacoste polos, each button has two holes with thread passing up and down through them (rather than side to side). One button sits at the top of the collar, while the other sits partway down.^{[7]
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Lacoste polo buttons are made with mother of pearl. Mother of pearl buttons are all different—when you look close, you’ll see that each button has its own pattern and marbling. Plastic buttons, on the other hand, are mass-produced and look identical.^{[8]
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Lacoste makes their buttons with mother of pearl rather than plastic.^{[9]
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Research source} Touch the buttons on the shirt and see how they feel—in general, mother of pearl feels cool when you touch it, while plastic does not.^{[10]
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On genuine Lacoste polos, the buttons are stitched tightly to the shirt and don’t wiggle around. On fake polos, however, the buttons aren’t sewn tightly to the fabric at all and feel really loose.^{[11]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Shirt Tags

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Lacoste polos are designed in France, which sizes in numbers—so, look for a red number like “4” above the crocodile (or any number between 2 and 9).^{[12]
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Research source} Nowadays, Lacoste also includes US sizes on some of their tags; however, they’ll always included the European sizing, too. If S/M/L is the only size indicator, the shirt is likely a fake.
2
The crocodile on the tag isn’t very detailed. On genuine Lacoste polos, the crocodile is an olive green color and has noticeable claws, teeth, a red mouth, and white scales on its back. Make sure the crocodile’s outline looks smooth instead of lumpy. An authentic one also won’t have rough lines disrupting the coloring.^{[13]
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- High-quality fakes look similar, but study them closely—they won’t be quite as detailed. The crocodile may look a little squashed, and the white eyes and scales tend to look rough and too close together.
- Some counterfeiters stitch a boxed outline around the crocodile on the tag.^{[14]
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A second tag (if the shirt has one) doesn’t list the shirt’s origin. If the polo has a second tag, it’ll rest under the first one. The first line typically says “Designed In France,” followed by a line that says “Made In” along with a country. If this tag lists any other country than “France” after “Designed In,” it’s definitely a fake!^{[15]
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- Not all polos have this second tag. Many polos now have a wide tag with the logo, so use other methods to identify them.
- Authentic Lacoste polos are often made in Peru.
4
The washing instructions aren’t on the tag inside the shirt. The tag is on the bottom and inside the shirt. When you find it, you will first see “100% cotton” printed in seven languages.^{[16]
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Research source} On the back, look for washing instructions with the word Devanlay (the company that used to distribute Lacoste products). No fabric should cover the letters on the tag.^{[17]
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- Fake shirts may have the washing instructions on the tag’s front. The tags may also be roughly sewn in with threads that hang down or obstruct letters.
- The tag may be above small triangle cuts on the side of the shirt. Make sure these cuts are small and don’t have loose threads hanging from them.
Check the inner tag on your polo shirt to see what the shirt is made of. Legitimate Lacoste polos are made entirely with cotton, while fake Lacoste polos might be made with 70% cotton and 30% polyester.^{[18]
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Community Q&A

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Question

I bought a Lacoste sweater and everything seems fine about it but it says “Made in China.” Should I be worried that it’s fake?

Janice Tieperman

Community Answer

Lacoste has historically worked with a Chinese factory before—seeing "Made in China" on the label doesn't mean that it's a fake.

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I bought a Pink Lacoste polo shirt online. It is made in Peru all details so far are ok but it has only 2 buttons. Is it fake?

Janice Tieperman

Community Answer

Lacoste polo shirts only have two buttons to begin with. If everything else about the polo shirt seems legit, there's a chance that your garment is genuine.

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Can I tell if a Lacoste polo is fake by its price?

Community Answer

Some traders will try to sell a fake at a high price and then discount it. Price alone is not an indication.

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Tips

Be cautious of a good bargain—authentic Lacoste polos retail for $60 or more in the United States. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. To be 100% certain that your shirt is the real deal, shop directly from Lacoste’s website.

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If you ordered your shirt online, pay attention to how it was packaged. Legitimate Lacoste shirts are folded neatly and shipped in high-quality packaging, while fakes often aren’t.

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Fake polos tend to be associated with low quality, such as loose threads, shredded cuffs, or stitching that falls apart after a few washes. An authentic shirt may also show signs of damage, however, and some fakes may be high quality.

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