On the International Day for Biological Diversity in 2019, Lacoste launched a new line of limited edition polo-shirts featuring ten threatened species. The ten species not only took over the crocodile's spot on the Lacoste polos, but also every inch of nine Lacoste stores worldwide as well as the online shop.
The ten species were selected from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ and included insects, freshwater fish, amphibians, mammals and birds, highlighting the diversity of wildlife in need of conservation. The number of shirts produced for each species corresponded to the estimated number of individuals remaining in the wild.
While each species faces a number of particular pressures leading to extinction risk, all are in need of increased funding to help ensure their long-term survival. A Call for Proposals opened for applications from Civil Society Organisations looking to implement projects to project any of the ten species featured in late 2019. Successful projects will be announced in due course.
The 2019 campaign built on the success of the original campaign from 2018. Launched during Paris Fashion Week, the collection of ten limited-edition polos shirts highlighted ten Critically Endangered species. Following the campaign, a Call for Proposals opened for projects targeting any of the ten species and a project to protect the Critically Endangered Burmese Roofed Turtle was selected for funding.
The Lacoste X IUCN Save Our Species partnership really showcases how businesses can make a difference by highlighting the urgent need to conserve biodiversity to new audiences. If you are interested in collaborating with IUCN Save Our Species, please get in touch via email at
The species featured in the campaigns
2019
| Name of species | Scientific name | Estimated population* | Red List status |
| Hawaiian Monk Seal | Neomonachus schauinslandi | 1,400 | Endangered |
| Iberian Lynx | Lynx pardinus | 589 | Endangered |
| North Atlantic Right Whale | Eubalaena glacialis | 444 | Endangered |
| Moheli Scops-owl | Otus moheliensis | 400 | Endangered |
| Yemeni Mouse-tailed Bat | Rhinopoma hadramauticum | 150 | Endangered |
| Opal Goodeid | Allotoca maculata | 150 | Critically Endangered |
| Mountain Chicken | Leptodactylus fallax | 132 | Critically Endangered |
| Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat | Lasiorhinus krefftii | 115 | Critically Endangered |
| Addax | Addax nasomaculatus | 90 | Critically Endangered |
| Cebu Damselfly | Risiocnemis seidenschwarzi | 50 | Critically Endangered |
2018
| Name of species | Scientific name | Estimated population* | Red List status |
| Anegada Ground Iguana | Cyclura pinguis | 450 | Critically Endangered |
| Sumatran Tiger | Panthera tigris ssp. Sumatrae | 350 | Critically Endangered |
| Saola | Pseudoryx nghetinhensis | 250 | Critically Endangered |
| California Condor | Gymnogyps californianus | 231 | Critically Endangered |
| Kakapo | Strigops habroptila | 157 | Critically Endangered |
| Cao-vit Gibbon | Nomascus nasutus | 150 | Critically Endangered |
| Javan Rhinoceros | Rhinoceros sondaicus | 67 | Critically Endangered |
| Northern Sportive Lemur | Lepilemur septentrionalis | 50 | Critically Endangered |
| Burmese Roofed Turtle | Batagur trivittata | 40 | Critically Endangered |
| Vaquita | Phocoena sinus | 30 | Critically Endangered |
* Estimated number of individuals remaining in the wild at the time of the campaign.
