Eric ​Vallat, the chief executive of Lacoste, was fired without publicity last week ahead of the brand’s show at Paris Fashion Week, according to Reuters.

Citing three people familiar with the matter, the newswire said that Vallat had been ousted without providing a reason.

Vallat, who has spent 30 years in the retail industry, was appointed chief executive of Lacoste in August 2025.

Prior to this he was chief executive at the alcoholic beverages firm Rémy Cointreau and has also held senior positions at the Swiss luxury goods brand Richemont, the French cognac firm Rémy Martin, and Louis Vuitton.

In Vallat’s time as chief executive he led efforts to market Lacoste as a premium brand with an established history, emphasising its links to Roland Garros and changing the typeface of its logo to a serif font.

A spokesperson for Lacoste confirmed to Reuters that Vallat was no longer in the position, adding that Vallat’s predecessor Thierry Guibert would return to take the helm at Lacoste.

Since September 2025, Guibert has been chief executive at Maus Frères, the Swiss parent company of Lacoste.

Two separate sources told Reuters that Lacoste’s financial performance was not the reason for Vallat’s firing. Maus Frères aims for Lacoste to achieve €4 billion in annual sales by 2028 to 2030.

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