Bernard Lacoste

Bernard Lacoste ( born June 22, 1931 in Paris, † March 21, 2006 ) was a French fashion designer and entrepreneur.

Life

Lacoste was the son of René Lacoste, the founder of the fashion company Lacoste. He attended high school in France and reached the Bachelor of Science at Princeton University in the United States. From February 1954 to February 1956 he was lieutenant in the French Air Force. From 1956 to 1963, he worked at General Motors in France.

Since 1964 he was chief of the world famous company Lacoste. When he took over the company, approximately 300,000 garments were produced per year. In 2005 there were nearly 50 million sold in 110 countries. Overall, the company made a turnover of about one billion U.S. $.

In September 2005, he handed over the management of health reasons to his brother Michel Lacoste. Six months later he died at the age of 74 after a long illness.

Awards

• Companion Member of the Textile Institute (since 1995)
• Officer of the Legion of Honour on 11 April 2001
• Knight of the Legion of Honor on March 24, 1989
• Knight of the Ordre national du Mérite on 23 December 1982

Other activities

• Since 1997: Director of the General Meeting of Comité Français des Manifestations à l' Etranger
• Since 1995: Director of the World Federation Sporting Goods Industry ( WFSGI )
• From 1992 to 1997: Active member of the General Meeting of Comité Français des Manifestations Economiques à l' Etranger ( CFME )
• Since 1988: Director of Union of Manufacturers
• Since 1986: Active member of the Comité Vendôme
• Since 1984: Member of the Comité Colbert
• Since 1981: Honorary Vice- President of the French Federation of Sporting Goods Industry ( FIFAS )
• From 1980 to 1983, Director of Centre Français du Commerce Extérieur ( CFCE )
• From 1970 to 1974: President of Neuilly Tennis Association
• From 1981 to 1981, Vice- President of the Fédération Française d' Articles de Sport
• From 1966 to 1981, Director of the Fédération Française d' Articles de Sport