Inspired by the archive running styles of the 1970s, the Lacoste Partner 70s trainer is the crocodiles' very own spin on the classic runner.
The 1970s saw a massive shift in traditional trainer designs. If the 80s was the decade of fitness shoes & sole technology, the 70s was where the running trainer really came to be as we know it today. The running trend of the late 1970s saw the big sportswear brands battle it out for the centre folds of the worlds most respected running magazines with the start of the "sneaker race" that would continue well into the 1990s. The late 70s alone saw OG runners like the Nike Waffle,
the PUMA Easy Rider, the adidas TRX, the adidas SL72, the Brooks Vantage, the New Balance 320 & the New Balance Supercomp to name a few make their way onto the shelves of the sportswear stores across the globe. There was a also a distinct aesthetic of the runners from this era with their extra grippy soles, suede overlays & the signature 70s runner style. It's these iconic 70s styles that the latest Partner trainer from Lacoste draws inspiration from, and does't it just look great?
Above: The Lacoste Partners 70s Runner trainer in white/dark green now available from 80s Casual Classics.
The origins of Lacoste go all the way back to the 1930s with the legendary French tennis player Ren_ Lacoste. The crocodile logo brand was named after Lacoste who was as elegant off the court, as much as he was a warrior on it. Lacoste soon joined an elite class of sporting individuals who earned a reputable nickname. As much as the Casuals loved a bit of the embroidered crocodile on their clobber it was mainly knitwear & polo shirts, footwear for the original Casuals was a pair of Trim Trabs or Borg Elites. For Lacoste, footwear didn't come till a bit later in the 90s with the introduction of classic court trainers like the Portofino trainer in 1996. It was the "all white" trainer trend & designer gear revival of the early noughties courtesy of cult classics like The Football Factory from 2004 that really put Lacoste footwear on the "Casual" radar. In more recent years Lacoste have really upped their footwear game with as much emphasis on tennis inspired court shoes, runners & archive silhouettes as their own apparel collections. 
Above: The Lacoste Partner 70s Runner trainer in white/dark green now available from 80s Casual Classics. Inspired by the archive running styles of the 1970s as mentioned previously, the Lacoste Partner 70s trainer is the crocodiles' very own spin on the classic runner. Featuring nylon panelling with suede overlays for that classic runner aesthetic, the Partner could of quite easily featured in Runners Weekly from 1978. Other highlights include a retro inspired rubber outsole with lugged tread for superior traction and of course the highly respected embroidered crocodile to the lateral sides. Finished off with 'Lacoste since 1933' to the tongue & the French sportswear brands' signature green to the heel tab, the Partner 70s is probably just about as good as it gets when it comes to a 1970s inspired retro running trainer. Shop the very latest Lacoste trainer releases now at 80s Casual Classics via the links.
