Two French Icons, One Electric Vision
At the heart of this unique project are two pillars of French industry: Alpine, the performance car brand with a rich rallying history, and Lacoste, the fashion giant famous for its crocodile logo and sportswear elegance. The collaboration has produced
the 'Beware of the Crocodile' Alpine A290 Rallye, a striking, one-of-a-kind electric vehicle unveiled in Paris in late June 2026. This isn't just a car with a fashion logo on it; it's a fully integrated design project built on the A290 Rallye platform, Alpine's all-electric customer competition car. The partnership stems from a shared heritage of innovation, championed by their respective founders, Jean Rédélé of Alpine and René Lacoste, the tennis player nicknamed 'the Crocodile' for his tenacity. The project is accompanied by a short film called "The Test," starring actor Pierre Niney and BWT Alpine Formula One driver Pierre Gasly, further blending the worlds of performance, style, and entertainment.
Inside the Crocodile's Jaws
The design concept is audacious and deeply integrated. The exterior is finished in a bluish-white paint inspired by Alpine mountain landscapes, featuring a mineral texture that recalls snow and ice. But the real drama happens inside. The entire cabin is drenched in a monochromatic red, a direct and immersive reference to the inside of the Lacoste crocodile's mouth. The attention to detail is meticulous. The seats and door panels are upholstered in Lacoste's signature petit piqué fabric, the same material used for its famous polo shirts. The embroidery was handled by Potencier, the historic workshop that has produced Lacoste's crocodile logos for decades. In a playful nod to the car's model number, designers have hidden exactly 290 crocodile motifs throughout the vehicle, rewarding the keen-eyed observer.
The Strategy of Style
This collaboration is more than an artistic exercise; it's a sharp business strategy. As the electric vehicle market matures, brands are looking for new ways to differentiate themselves beyond battery range and acceleration stats. Partnering with a globally recognised fashion house like Lacoste allows Alpine to inject its performance-focused EV with a dose of cultural cachet and luxury appeal. This move aims to attract a new, style-conscious demographic that views cars as an extension of their personal brand. The goal is to create an emotional connection, transforming an EV from a practical choice into a desirable luxury object. By merging rally-inspired engineering with fashion-forward materials and design, the A290 becomes a statement of identity, not just a mode of transport.
A Growing Trend in a High-Gear
Alpine and Lacoste are not the first to blur the lines between the runway and the raceway. The trend of automotive and fashion collaborations is accelerating. In recent years, we've seen a variety of partnerships, from Mercedes-Benz working with KidSuper and the late Virgil Abloh, to Aimé Leon Dore's collaborations with Porsche. These projects range from special edition production models and one-off concepts to capsule clothing collections. They serve to enhance the image of both brands, tapping into what some call 'fashiontainment'—a cultural movement at the intersection of sport, fashion, and innovation. What makes the A290 'Beware of the Crocodile' notable within this trend is its commitment to a single, bold narrative, using the rally car platform to create a truly bespoke and radical expression of both brands' DNA.
