Aside from announcing his Silk Sonic venture with Anderson .Paak, Bruno Mars is also kicking off 2021 with a brand-new line in collaboration with Lacoste.

As per an announcement, the upcoming collection, which has been dubbed Ricky Regal after the pop titan's alter ego, has been in the works for two years. The 25-piece line sees a bolder look for Lacoste with colorful, graphic patterns and a splash of inspiration from the late 1970s. Prices range from $100 to $200. It will be available from March 5 for about two weeks and follows the brand's 2019 collaboration with Tyler, the Creator. "This is our biggest collaboration to date," Jason Kim, Lacoste's senior vice president of marketing for the US, said in a statement.

Mars admitted that he chose to work with the 88-year-old brand because he was given complete creative control. "I've been very fortunate to have been asked to do collaborations in the past, but it always came with guidelines," the chart-topper said in a statement. "Lacoste was the first and only brand that said, 'Bruno, we want you to make this truly yours.'" This marks the first fashion or lifestyle collection for Mars.

As for its rollout in Los Angeles and New York, the Lacoste collection will be available for sale at The Webster in both cities, as well as LeBron James' store in Miami, Unknwn. Additionally, the brand will open a new store in West Hollywood that hones in on its first "retail concept" for the brand. Kim explained that Mars worked on the "concept" store as the company attempts to use the collaboration to shift its market position. "We want desirability for the brand," Kim continued. "We obviously have deep roots in tennis and golf, but you have to innovate, you have to start thinking about a true consumer experience."

Trey White

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