The clothing and sports apparel company Fila was created in Biella, Italy, by the Fila brothers in 1911. They began by making clothes for people in the Piedmont region of Italy, which lies in the foothills of the Italian Alps. These days Fila is one of Europe’s top makers of sportswear for men, women and children. Believe it or not, the company’s most popular product in the early days was underwear. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that they began to invest in sportswear.
The company’s men’s line includes footwear and apparel for use in sports like running, tennis, basketball, golf, cross training and swimming. Their most popular line is Fila Vintage, which was first made popular by tennis superstar Bjorn Borg.
In fact, it was Borg who deserves most of the credit for making this line famous. Whether he was holding court at Wimbledon or just working up a sweat, Borg was rarely spotted without a Fila jacket or shirt. And because Borg was one of the best players of his or any generation, all of his competitors and admirers tried to imitate him, which meant wearing Fila attire.
It was for this reason that Fila Vintage became inextricably linked with the great sport of tennis in the minds’ of most consumers. Although this strong association with only one sport could be viewed as a limiting factor, it did help them become a global brand. For years, when it came to tennis, there was Fila and there was everyone else.
The once tiny Italian company dominated the market the same way their spokesman, Bjorn Borg, ruled the court. In fact, they are one of the oldest sponsors of several major tennis tournaments, including the U.S. Open.
Why Fila?
Like most companies that have humble origins, Fila found its niche and ran with it. In their case, it was making clothing and footwear for the elite athlete, not for the average consumer. It was only in later years that consumers, wanting to emulate their sports idols, finally began to catch on and made the company a worldwide name.
What is Fila Vintage?
Fila Vintage is one of the company’s top lines and it is essentially a tribute or homage to their old lines of clothing, especially those worn and made famous by Bjorn Borg.
Many of the shoes, shirts and workout attire featured in this collection were first made famous in the 1970’s and 80’s. They include the brands most famous shoes, the F13, Original Fitness Shoes, and Original Tennis shoes. All of these shoes were first introduced in the late eighties and remain some of the company’s top sellers.
Due in large part to Bjorn Borg, most of the clothing and apparel in the Fila Vintage line are taken straight from the seventies. The bold colours and retro look have been a hit with younger athletes and consumers, especially in Europe.
In 2007, the company reached a licensing agreement with the Championship at Wimbledon, which once again brings Fila back to its roots. It goes almost without saying that Fila Vintage will play a prominent part in all future tournaments.
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