I’ve made no secret of my love of former Sunday Vegetarians of Awesomeness R.E.M., but I don’t think I’ve yet mentioned my hypothetically-embarrasing love of the Lacoste brand.  You know.  The one with the little crocodile on it.  So I was intrigued when Pitchfork reported yesterday that Michael Stipe, lead singer of R.E.M., has been commissioned to design a limited-edition shirt for Lacoste’s holiday collection.  And, umm.  Here:

It also comes in colors like teal for men, and purple for women, in case the black and white isn’t loud enough for you.  So what’s the deal with this?

For his take on the LACOSTE polo, Stipe created a monumental two tone photographic image depicting a crowd at a stadium concert from the perspective of a performer on stage.  The chaotic crowd image contrasts against colors of the LACOSTE petite piqué fabric that both obliterates and detail and accentuates silhouette.

I have no idea what that last line means.  So, in case you happen to like the design, be preparted to pay a little bit more than your regular Lacoste polo.  Say, a hundred and fifty bucks.  Or, if you’d rather save a little bit of money, takepart and find your local Goodwill.  And, as long as we’re discussing former Awesome Sunday Vegetarians, takepart and learn about going vegetarian.