Ricson Vergara, Derrick Ching Win Lacoste Fun Pickleball Games as Brand Takes Fall Watch Launch to Court
When a fashion house launches a watch collection, the usual script involves display cases and canapés. Lacoste Watches decided to hand its guests a paddle instead.
Ricson Vergara and Derrick Ching emerged as winners of the Lacoste Fun Pickleball Games at Pickleball Junction in Kapitolyo, Pasig City, beating the field in a day of friendly competition among media representatives, influencers, and guests. Gavriyella Adoptante and Mariel Enguito finished as runners-up.
From Clinic to Competition
The day opened with a morning clinic introducing participants to the sport before they put their newly learned skills to the test in friendly matches. It was a smart way to get everyone, beginners included, onto the court.
Philippine Pickleball Federation president Shery Cu joined the action and addressed participants ahead of the afternoon games, speaking about the sport and its growing community in the country.
Sports broadcaster Rizza Diaz hosted the afternoon programme, which began with remarks from Judith Staples, marketing head of Lucerne Fashion Brands. Lacoste Watches Philippines brand manager Cathy Porlaje then presented the Fall 2026 collection, spotlighting the latest additions to the LC33 range.
The LC33, Up Close
Inspired by the bold character of Lacoste’s crocodile emblem, the collection features metallic case finishes, mixed-material details, and new colour combinations. The LC33 has a 45-millimetre stainless steel case with a TR90 bezel, crown, and pushers, plus an analog-digital display. It’s paired with an integrated silicone strap in the brand’s signature Petit Piqué texture, with water resistance rated at 10 ATM. Between matches, guests browsed the watch display for a closer look at the finishes and design details.
Background: Lacoste’s Pickleball Play
The Pasig event was part of Lacoste Watches’ Fall 2026 launch in Manila, which took place on 30 September 2026 at the same venue. At the time, the French fashion house said it was leaning into its sporting DNA by introducing the collection “in motion” rather than through static presentations. That meant the clinic-then-matches format, with the LC33 set against the energy of competition.
It also fits a wider trend. Lacoste joins a growing list of global brands using pickleball as a stage to show identity, movement, and flair, a sign that the sport’s rise isn’t just about paddles and rallies.
Indeed, with a product launch, a federation president, and a crowd of first-time players all sharing the same court, Kapitolyo offered a neat snapshot of where Philippine pickleball is right now: still growing, and increasingly hard for brands to ignore.
