In patronage of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games to be held in
Shanghai, China, LACOSTE will be presenting a limited edition of its renowned
12.12Polo shirt this coming October. First launched in 1933, the 12.12Polo is
among LACOSTE's most enduring classics, endeared by athletes throughout the
world for its unique character and superb quality.
This limited edition pays tribute to the spirit of the Special Olympics,
embodying virtues that LACOSTE, a worldwide name in fashionable sportswear
totally committed to important social causes, readily shares with its
uncompromising commitment to quality. This limited edition polo, of only 1,212
pieces, features a specially commissioned crocodile logo embroidered with silver
linings, replacing the traditional green crocodile logo. Also enhancing the
unique qualities of this limited edition, will be the specially numbered collar
on each polo shirt, from 1 to 1,212. The inspiration for this limited edition
shirt was neatly summed up by Mr Philippe Lacoste: LACOSTE owes it all to sport,
and in sport will it find a perfect match, in an exquisite style that is
unmistakably French.
Miss Sandra Hu, Chief Executive Officer of LACOSTE China, echoes: "The
relaxed, comfortable qualities of the French leisure style underline the
inspiration and progress of each LACOSTE endeavour." The 1212Polo will be
available exclusively at the following LACOSTE shops in Shanghai: the Nanjing
West Road store, the Huaihai Road store and the Great Gateway store. It will
also be available in the Oriental Plaza store in Beijing. All proceeds of sale
will be donated to the 2007 Special Olympics World Games.
To commemorate this landmark launch, celebrities from diverse backgrounds
have been invited to re-create the 12.12Polo shirt. The likes of acclaimed film
director Wong Kar-wai (王家卫), international movie stars Maggie Cheung, Jackie
Chan, Michelle Yeoh, Joan Chan, Hsu Chi (舒淇), Zhang Ziyi (章子怡) and Maggie Q,
artists Mi Qiu (米丘), Sui Jianguo (隋建国), Yu Youhan (余友涵), Liu Jianhua (刘建华), Wang
Ziwei (王子卫), and Shi Yong (施勇), lifestyle editor Li Guanyi (李冠毅), fashion
designer Vera Wang, soccer star Hidetoshi Nakata, photographer Ellen Von
Unwerth, leading models Sophia Kao and Lu Yan (吕燕), as well as Hong Kong artists
Edison Chan and Vivian Mok will be asked to personally design a 12.12Polo,
limited only by their own imaginations.
Their creative works will be displayed at the roof top of the Shanghai Art
Museum on October 25, 2004. Close to one thousand guests and patrons will be
invited to the exhibition and a grand charity event afterwards, where the
creative designs will be auctioned to raise additional funds for the 2007
Special Olympics World Games.
Dr Shi Derong, Chief Executive Officer of the 2007 World Games Executive
Committee, praised LACOSTE's fundraising support, saying: a�?I would like to
take this opportunity to thank LACOSTE and the LACOSTE family, who have
creatively utilized the celebration of the 12.12Polo shirt to support the
upcoming 2007 World Games. Their support illustrates the diversity of our
supporters and conveys our key objective, "inclusion of all". As we strive to
develop the inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities by
society, the support of well-known individuals and major corporations will
continue to provide inspiration and encouragement.
