Lacoste (polo shirts)

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Lacoste logo 1933

Name: "Lacoste L.12.12"

Category: Fashion

Subcategory: Polo shirts

Inventors: René Lacoste and André Gillier

Producer: La Chemise Lacoste (founded in 1933 by René Lacoste and André Gillier)

Production start: 1933 - Troyes, France

Features: The Lacoste L.12.12 polo shirt was made from an entirely new fabric, "petit piqué". René Lacoste teamed up with loose-knit fabric expert André Gillier to fine-tune the design of his first polo shirts. Together, they created the famous piqué cotton - lightweight yet sturdy and breathable to let the body breathe while looking smart. Being a perfectionist, René Lacoste tested the first series of polo shirts himself, in search of any detail that could improve the design. The code name assigned was "L.12.12": L stands for Lacoste, 1 because it's totally unique, 2 was the factory code to say short sleeved, 12 for the winning prototype chosen.

Interesting facts: René Lacoste was a famous tennis player who achieved fame in two areas: tennis and fashion. Lacoste founded La Chemise Lacoste in 1933 with André Gillier, the owner and President of the largest French knitwear manufacturing firm at the time. In that year, they launch the revolutionary Lacoste L.12.12 polo shirt, and branded with the iconic crocodile. The true story of the "Crocodile" begins in 1923 after a bet that René Lacoste had with the Captain of the French Davis Cup Team, Allan H. Muhr, who promised him an alligator suitcase if he won an important game for the team. This episode was reported in an article in the Boston Evening Transcript, where his nickname of the «Crocodile» came to life for the first time. The American public grew fond of this nickname which highlighted the tenacity he displayed on the tennis courts, never giving up his prey. His friend Robert George drew him a crocodile which was embroidered on the blazer he wore on the courts.
In 1951 the company began to expand as it branched from "tennis white" and introduced color shirts. The first Lacoste boutique opened in 1981, avenue Victor Hugo, Paris.

Slogan (1933): «Attention au crocodile... il n'y a qu'une CHEMISE LACOSTE» - "Beware of crocodile ... there is only LACOSTE SHIRT"

Property: Lacoste

Producer website: http://www.lacoste.com

Lacoste: the original crocodile design (1926), ispired by René Lacoste nickname and designed by his friend Robert George

Lacoste: first appearance of the crocodile logo (1926), embroidered on the blazer of Jean René Lacoste (Paris, July 2, 1904 - Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Oct. 12, 1996), the French tennis player and businessman who invented the Lacoste polo shirt

Lacoste L.12.12: the original polo shirt, first Lacoste product ever (1933)

Lacoste advertising (1933): "Pour le tennis le golf la plage les véritables CHEMISES LACOSTE" (For tennis golf beach the real LACOSTE SHIRTS).

Lacoste advertising (1933): "Attention au crocodile... il n'y a qu'une CHEMISE LACOSTE" (Beware of crocodile ... there is only LACOSTE SHIRT).

Lacoste celebrates 90th Anniversary (1933-2023)

Bialetti Moka Express

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Bialetti logo 1953
by Paul Campani

Name: "Bialetti Moka Express"

Category: Home

Subcategory: Coffee makers

Inventor: Alfonso Bialetti

Producer: Bialetti (founded by Alfonso Bialetti in 1919)

Production start: 1933 - Crusinallo (Omegna), Piedmont, Italy

Alfonso Bialetti
Omegna, Jan. 1, 1888 –
Zagarolo, Dec. 31, 1970,
the engineer who invented
the Bialetti Moka Express

Price: In 1955 the Bialetti Moka Express 3-Cup cost 1,100 ITL

Features: The boiler is filled with water almost up to the safety release valve and the funnel-shaped metal filter is inserted. Finely-ground coffee is added to the filter as shown below. Then the upper part (which has a second metal filter at the bottom) is tightly screwed onto the base. The pot is placed on a suitable heat source, the water is brought to its boiling point, and thereby steam is created in the boiler. A gasket ensures a tightly closed unit and allows for pressure to safely build up in the lower section, where a safety valve provides a necessary release in case this pressure should get too high (with clean filters, that should not happen). The steam eventually reaches a high enough pressure to gradually force the surrounding boiling water up the funnel through the coffee powder and into the upper chamber, where the coffee is collected.

Interesting facts: Bialetti's brand awareness was consolidated thanks to the significant advertising investments in Carosello - the advertising slot on early Italian TV - and communication focused on the image of the "Little man with a moustache" - created in the 1950s by Paul Campani - that became its symbol and is still part of the Group’s trademark and on its products to this day. The mascot is a caricature of Alfonso's son, Renato Bialetti (1923-2016).

Slogan (1950s): «Eh sì, sì, sì... sembra facile fare un buon caffè!» - "Oh yes, yes, yes... it seems easy to make a good cup of coffee!"

Property: Bialetti Industrie S.p.A.

Producer website: http://www.bialetti.com

Bialetti Moka Express, the first model (1933)

Bialetti Moka Express, the first design revision (1950)

Bialetti Moka Express advertising (1955): "Per tutti anche per la massaia - Per tutti anche per il nonno" (For all even for the housewife - For all even for Grandpa)

Bialetti Moka Express, the mascot by Paolo "Paul" Campani is a caricature of Alfonso's son Renato Bialetti (Omegna, Feb. 2, 1923 – Ascona, Feb. 11, 2016)

Bialetti Moka Express celebrates its 90th Anniversary (1933-2023) with a special edition