Lacoste is one of the most consistently resellable brands in vintage — the polos, the fleeces, the quarter-zips — which is exactly why it is also one of the most faked. If you are buying at volume, being able to spot a genuine vintage Lacoste piece in seconds protects your margin and your reputation. This is the practical checklist.
The same disciplined approach applies to other heritage brands — see our companion guide on authenticating vintage Carhartt.
1. Start with the crocodile
The logo is the first tell, and fakes almost always get a detail wrong.
- Direction: the crocodile faces right (to the wearer's left, your right as you look at it), mouth open.
- Embroidery quality: genuine Lacoste crocs are densely and cleanly embroidered with defined teeth, eye and legs. Fakes look flat, sparse, or have muddy detailing.
- Raised, three-dimensional feel: the real croc has a slight relief to it, not a printed or thin look.
- Colour separation: the green (or tonal) thread should be crisp against the garment, with no fraying or bleeding.
2. Check the tags carefully
Tags are where dating and authentication meet:
- Older pieces often read "Chemise Lacoste" and/or "Made in France" — strong signals of an earlier, more collectible garment.
- Devanlay appears on many genuine pieces (the long-time manufacturer under licence) — a reassuring sign, not a red flag.
- Font and stitching: the brand-tag lettering should be even and correctly spelled (obvious, but fakes do misspell). Neck tags should be neatly sewn, not glued or crooked.
- Care/size label: a separate wash-care label with fibre content and origin should be present.
3. Understand Lacoste sizing
Vintage Lacoste typically uses numeric sizing — commonly 2 to 8 (roughly 2 = XS through to 7/8 = XXL). A piece labelled with a standard S/M/L only, with no numeric size anywhere, is worth a second look. Knowing the numeric system also helps you list accurately and avoid returns.
4. Inspect the construction
- Fabric: genuine Lacoste pique cotton has a distinctive textured weight and feel. Thin, flimsy fabric is a warning sign.
- Buttons: polos usually have two or three mother-of-pearl-style buttons, often subtly branded, sitting on a clean placket.
- Finishing: even stitching throughout, tidy seams, and a ribbed collar that holds its shape rather than feeling loose or cheap.
5. Price sense-check
If a seemingly genuine vintage Lacoste piece is priced suspiciously low outside of a graded wholesale context, be cautious — that is often where fakes slip through. The advantage of buying from a hand-graded supplier is that the sorting has already filtered stock for you.
Why buying graded stock reduces your risk
When you buy a graded wholesale box or bale, the stock has been hand-sorted for quality before it reaches you — which dramatically cuts the chance of fakes and unsellable pieces slipping through compared with unsorted rag or piece-by-piece car-boot sourcing. You still apply your own checks, but you start from a far better base. Learn how the grading works in Grade A vs B vs C bales explained.
Frequently asked questions
Which way does a genuine Lacoste crocodile face?
To the right, with its mouth open (facing the wearer's left). The embroidery should be dense, raised and cleanly detailed — flat or sparse stitching is a common fake tell.
What does "Devanlay" on a Lacoste tag mean?
Devanlay was the long-standing licensed manufacturer of Lacoste apparel. Seeing it on a tag is generally a reassuring sign of authenticity, not a warning.
How is vintage Lacoste sized?
Usually with a numeric system, commonly 2 to 8 — roughly 2 (XS) up to 7/8 (XXL). Learning this helps both authentication and accurate listing.
How do I avoid buying fake Lacoste in bulk?
Buy from a supplier that hand-grades and sorts its stock, and apply the crocodile, tag and construction checks above. Graded stock significantly lowers the risk. Browse graded boxes here.
Source Lacoste you can trust
Messina Wholesale hand-grades 100,000+ vintage items, including branded classics like Lacoste, restocked weekly for 10,000+ UK resellers. Browse the reseller boxes and buy from stock that is sorted for quality before it reaches you.