• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, January 5, 2011

Lacoste, the sportswear company best known for its preppy little alligator, is breaking a new "Unconventional Chic" campaign this spring, with models in sequins and tuxedos sporting its classic white polos.

The campaign replaces the "Un Peu d'Air sur Terre" campaign, a concept that ran for 10 seasons, often with cavorting models leaping through the air, flinging around inner tubes, or wielding croquet mallets.

"We are going through a very strong move in fashion: we are feeling that well-being and elegance, and also the desire to be unconventional, are what primes," the Paris-based company says in its release. "We have translated this vibe into our ad campaign as it matches our brand values. At a time when people are rejecting rigid luxury and demanding simplicity, elegance, and durability more than ever before, Lacoste is asserting its modernity."