Pelagia Kolotouros took cues from how exertion heats things up for a sexier take on the crocodile brand.

In the depths of Roland-Garros on Sunday, Kolotouros made a passing mention of René Lacoste when talking of her starting point in “the notion of quiet rebellion,” the kind that had him slicing off shirt sleeves for comfort and speed back in the 1920s.

But what she was after is the shape that rebellion takes today. CliffsNotes on the backstage briefing: technique, uniforms and codes might be what gets you on the court but what wins the game is the sweat, speed and willingness to get down and dirty.

Upstairs on the clay of the Philippe Chatrier court, the spring lineup warmed up with the lightweight roomy coats, the breathable tailoring and airy sportswear that signal the Kolotouros era.

Then came the designer’s spin of the season: showing how exertion heats things up — in all senses of the word. “I think sport is sexy,” said Kolotouros, who has a nice instinct for making those ideas tangible.

There, sweat stain motifs perforated polo shirts with proportions so shrunken they clung to the torso, joggers slipping down to reveal underwear waistbands, washed silks giving a lived-in texture to a floor-length blouson and matching pants and a play on collars, mis-layered or popped. Later on, white silhouettes appeared clay-stained or sweat-soaked, an effect obtained by applying steam to a sandwich of materials, each reacting differently to the heat and humidity.

Speed — another way of refusing to conform, Kolotouros’ believes, was expressed through volumes, catchy graphics and accessories such as the ACE-T1 sneaker, taking cues from a net stretched by an object hitting it and finished with a tennis ball heel.

If René Lacoste was the key to unlocking a new era at Lacoste, Kolotouros’ ideas seem to be the right impulse. So far, in addition to a selection of the brand’s own stores, they’ve netted more than 40 retailers including Dover Street Market, Selfridges, Galeries Lafayette, Ssense and Japan’s Hankyu. Should this new edge translate into commercial reality, that might be what wins Lacoste the long game.