The journey through womenswear in the US would land her a position as creative director for Calvin Klein’s womenswear, and later on, Tommy Hilfiger.

When she returned to the UK in 2007, she became the creative director for the British brand Jigsaw. She would move again two years later to Joseph, where she played an important role. The designer would move later on to Paris to be the substitute of the retail brand’s creator Joseph Ettedgui and lead the brand into its global development.

Respecting Ettedgui’s legacy, the British queen of minimalism provided her interpretation of fashion and updated the brand’s codes to dress Parisians with elegance and a contemporary look. Her targeted female young audience connected with her style that reflected a masculine and feminine mixed approach to the female glamour of this century, influenced by the north of England’s club scene.

“Clothes are not just something to make you feel pretty, but to wear and live”

The croc brand transformation

Louis decided to leave Joseph in July 2018 after nine years to become the first creative director of Lacoste, to continue the legacy of the legendary Felipe Oliveira Baptista. The course of evolution of the croc brand, which had over 85 years of heritage, had already started shifting.

Louise debuted in the Fall 2019 collection for Lacoste, where she received worldwide applause in the Paris Fashion Week. She found the balance in deconstruction and got her inspiration from Suzanne Lenglen and René Lacoste, which led her to suggest an avant-garde collection for the tennis’ court cool kids.

Trotter wanted to use all her creative skills to redesign the atelier’s codes and renovate René Lacoste’s files by presenting a collection of stylish technical clothes where the designer experimented with tradition and new techniques. She deconstructed the classic Lacoste polo by working on its patchwork, rethinking the logo, implementing architectural forms, crochet, intrinsic tailoring and a colour-blocking design that had fined lines, fresh from a recent sportswear line, and an oversized silhouette, elevating Lacoste’s legacy like never before with the highest level of artistry.

In October 2019, Trotter gave the world one more show with the brand in the presentation of the collection SS20, where she reinvented the tennis court style with clothes that were everything but basic that we couldn’t wait to get our hands on.

Many different formats of the 1926 crocodile by Robert George were present over silky trousers, pockets and sumptuous loafers filled with prints, oversized polos and technical clothes that could be taken from the showroom straight to the street. Peculiar washed colours had also their place on the runway, over tailored pieces and knitted garments.

And this is how this generation’s clothing brand has been redirected by the British designer with contemporary lines like Lacoste Live and celebrated collaborations like Golf Le Fleur. Lacoste is a brand that has a strong legacy contrasted by a futuristic projection explaining the special connection with Louise Trotter’s vision and her “Forever innovative and eternally elegant” motto.

WORDS:Manuela Palma