Lacoste unveils a revamped flagship store in New York's SoHo

The revamped unit on Broadway, which is intended to centre around art, innovation and community, will be replicated in other U.S. stores as well as internationally.

The format reflects recent changes at Lacoste in general and is designed to showcase the identity of the brand. That includes drawing on the company's heritage but in a way that also appeals to today's customer.

The SoHo store also highlights the brand's entire product range instead of just the polo shirt and increases its focus on women's wear. Although Lacoste is a "men's dominant business, one of the goals is to continue to grow the women's business in the U.S.

The store was designed by the local architectural firm Design Republic, which worked in tandem with Lacoste's in-house architectural design team in Paris to create a "New York-meets-Paris spirit," the company said.

The store includes an art-inspired exterior, a polo wall and a customization area. There's also a dedicated footwear pop-up at the entrance and the dressing rooms draw inspiration from a canister of tennis balls. Customers can also have their shirts and other products personalized by selecting from among the brand's assortment of rotating digital services and designs.

Although e-commerce business has been very strong, especially in the past year, the company's investment in its stores reflects its continued belief in physical retail. The store is seeking to create a sense of community by partnering with brands and cultural institutions in food, fashion and beauty, as it strives to become a destination for local shoppers.

Wholesale, with partners such as Macy's, Amazon, Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue and others, remains a well-developed and very important part of Lacoste's total business. And although the company's direct-to-consumer channels represent a larger percentage of the total, wholesale continues to be meaningful.

Lacoste unveils a revamped flagship store in New York's SoHo