As vintage clothing arrives back in the spotlight, it brings Fila along with it. Fila has experienced an incredible surge of popularity in the past few years, due to the company being a 90s-era brand as well as its unique ideas and designs. As Fila has made its return to the main stage of streetwear, the company has left nothing but success in its wake, spawning designs similar to their own, and reviving its former fanbase. Their success story is one that is unique but happening more and more in streetwear.
Fila was founded in 1911 by Giansevero Fila in Biella, Piedmont. When founded, Fila originally began by making clothing for people in the Italian Alps, a huge difference from their market in today’s day and age, as they have offices in 11 countries and sell worldwide. Originally, Fila desired to produce fabrics that brought luxury and quality together for the townspeople. Designs from the homeland were incorporated into their products, which made people feel as if they were well and unique, since they were “exquisitely textured and evocative as the Italian landscape,” as noted on the Fila website. During their initial run, they pushed towards the textile industry but experienced much more success when they began to move towards sportswear.
Fila was able to get involved with multiple athletes throughout the years, helping them grow to other countries and reach new consumers. They made their on-court debut with tennis players Adriano Panatta, Paolo Bertolucci, and Björn Borg in 1973. Their debut with these players coupled with the growth in popularity that tennis experienced during the mid-to-late 20th Century resulted in the massive popularity of Fila in the world of sports. Their legacy in tennis only grew from their partnerships with athletes, as they became a primary provider of clothing for players. They also were able to add change to the game, being the first tennis clothing company to provide colored alternatives to the traditional “all white” that players wore.
As years the years flew by, Fila still kept their status as a top sportswear company, not only providing products for tennis players, but basketball, baseball, and soccer players as well. The brand has been involved in the London Games, outfitting the South Korean and Hong Kong delegates and providing products for the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet. The company’s iconic white and red “FILA” logo is featured on all of their products, some of the most notable items being their sweatshirts, hoodies, and shoes. The company has had a fair number of collaborations, their most notable being with PUBG, A Bathing Ape, and Fendi. These collaborations have produced iconic collections, including Fendi Mania & AAPE by A Bathing Ape and FILA. Fila’s logo is featured in their most popular collaborations, and its unique design helps the brand stick out from the rest. This certainly puts it above many other sportswear and streetwear brands.
It was never expected for Fila to come as far as it did, as they were only a small brand producing products for people in the Italian Alps. Once the brand got a footing in tennis however, it was able to flourish, producing more sportswear than ever before, and making sure that they sponsored the hottest players and events. Fila’s timeline is very interesting to watch, as it all happened so fast, with the brand’s popularity only growing since their initial boom in the 1970s. We are excited to see what Fila brings to the table of streetwear next!