Fashion brand Lacoste, known for its iconic crocodile logo, has ditched the reptile from its polo shirts in favour of 10 endangered species in a bid to raise awareness of the animals' plight.
Working in partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the designer will be releasing a range of limited edition polo shirts featuring a small logo of endangered animals, including the Northern Sportive lemur and the Cao-vit gibbon.
The number of tops produced will correspond with the estimated number of the animals left in the wild, so, for example, there's a limited run of 450 shirts sporting the Anegada Ground Iguana, as experts reckon there are just 450 of the animals left.
Lacoste is signed up for a three-year-partnership with IUCN, meaning sales from the shirts - which cost £140/ $183 - will go to the organisation to help protect endangered species.
In total, 1,775 shirts will be produced. Which breaks down to 450 Anegada ground iguana, 350 Sumatran tiger, 250 Saola, 231 California condor, 157 Kakapo parrots, 150 Cao Vit gibbon, 67 Javan rhino, 50 Northern Sportive lemur, 40 Burmese Roofed turtle and 30 Vaquita.
On the Save Our Species website a press release reads: "The crocodile. This is how the French tennis champion Rene Lacoste was nicknamed in 1927 for his tenacity on the court. Today, the Lacoste logo still symbolises the will and commitment the brand invests into each action it undertakes.
"Taking the capsule collection from concept to launch has been achieved in half the time it usually requires for such a project and testifies to the dynamism which businesses like Lacoste can bring to the global extinction threat: a universal challenge which many agree is of utmost urgency to environmental sustainability."
The collection was launched during Paris Fashion Week and is on sale now, if you fancy doing your bit while treating yo' self. You can find out more about the project at the Save Our Species website or check out Lacoste's shop here.
Featured Image Credit: Lacoste
