Fashion

Lacoste Removes CEO Éric Vallat, His Predecessor Takes Back the Helm

By Jacqueline Chelliah07 octobre 2026

Lacoste has removed CEO Éric Vallat from his position barely a year after his appointment. The crocodile brand has given no explanation for his sudden departure. Thierry Guibert, CEO of its Swiss parent company Maus Frères and Lacoste’s former leader for nearly a decade, is returning to run the brand.

The Lacoste brand is owned by the Swiss group Maus Frères (Shutterstock)

Éric Vallat was appointed CEO of Lacoste in June 2025 (Lacoste)

Lacoste CEO Éric Vallat was quietly removed from his position shortly before the brand’s Spring-Summer 2027 runway show during Paris Fashion Week. The decision was initially made without any official public announcement, as highlighted by Italian business newspaper Milano Finanza. The brand later confirmed Vallat’s departure but gave no explanation for his dismissal.

Vallat was appointed CEO in June 2025 and officially took up his position in September, succeeding Thierry Guibert. His arrival was part of Lacoste’s strategy to accelerate its “premiumisation”, aimed at moving the brand further upmarket while reducing its reliance on the less profitable wholesale channel.

A Performance Issue?

Before joining Lacoste, Vallat held several senior positions at LVMH, including at Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior Couture. He also led Bonpoint and J.M. Weston, then Rémy Martin, before heading Richemont’s Fashion & Accessories division.

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Lacoste has only said that the brand will continue its strategy on the basis of “robust fundamentals”. According to two sources familiar with the matter cited by Reuters, the company’s performance was not behind Vallat’s departure. The privately held brand is maintaining its target of reaching €4 billion in annual sales by 2028-2030.

Thierry Guibert Takes Back the Helm

To replace him, Lacoste has chosen a familiar face: Thierry Guibert, who led the brand for nearly a decade before handing over to Vallat. Guibert is also CEO of Maus Frères, the Swiss group that owns Lacoste.

The decision marks an unexpected reversal. When Vallat was appointed, his predecessor said he was handing Lacoste over to a “bold leader” in order to focus more closely on the wider group. Yet just over a year later, Guibert is back at the helm of the fashion brand.

Key Points:

- Former Lacoste CEO and current Maus Frères CEO Thierry Guibert is back at the helm, just over a year after handing over the reins to Vallat.

- Éric Vallat ousted after barely a year. Appointed in June 2025 to accelerate Lacoste’s move upmarket, the CEO was dismissed just before the brand’s Paris runway show, with no official explanation given.

- Vallat’s departure was reportedly not linked to performance. The brand is maintaining its target of €4 billion in annual sales by 2028-2030.

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