FLY INTERNATIONAL LUXURIOUS ART
Words : Nick Santora | Images : © FILA Archive
The 1970s are remembered as a decade of self-indulgence , yet not all pursuits were hedonistic in nature . There were a few healthier lifestyle trends that emerged , such as jogging and tennis . Many Americans adopted long-distance running as a form of exercise and country club sports grew in popularity with those who could afford to participate . Professional tennis was entering its greatest era thanks to captivating superstars and advanced new equipment , while affluent weekend-warriors began dressing the part in the finest European sportswear . The more expensive , the better ... and none was more luxurious than FILA .
In 1973 , FILA introduced “ The White Line ” collection as its interpretation of traditional tennis apparel . While the game historically required all-white attire , FILA introduced variations on classics that included pinstripe shirts and bold terrycloth jackets . In 1975 , FILA endorsed Swedish superstar Bjorn
Borg , who proved to be the most dominant player of the decade with six consecutive Wimbledon titles . His combination of world-class looks and physical ability were on display every time he stepped onto the court wearing his signature FILA collection .
FILA ’ s range of sportswear extended beyond tennis to include skiing , mountaineering , golf , swimming and sailing . It was producing the highest level of equipment for mountain climber Reinhold Messner , who along with Peter Habeler reached the summit of Mount Everest without the help of supplemental oxygen . He was wearing FILA when he arrived at the peak in 1978 . The golf and swimming lines weren ’ t technically groundbreaking , but they were Italian-made and certainly expensive . Some of the advertisements even highlight the high price tag as a selling point . Retailers included the world ’ s finest department stores where FILA velour was displayed alongside Halston couture .
Volume 1 | classickicks . com | Classic Kicks | 99