The notion of Italian sportswear has been historically shaped by a roster of heritage brands — Fila among them — born in the first half of the 20th century, mostly to serve the growing appetite for domestic athletic gear.
Some have evolved into lifestyle players while preserving their original activewear ethos, but very few have embraced a fashion-forward proposition.
That was until the Fila Milano special collection, unveiled on Sunday in Milan as the brand marks its 115th anniversary. Paraded on a vast runway scattered with towering light totems, this lineup had swagger, reinterpreting the brand’s key codes under an edgy, urban lens.
“I have been obsessed with the idea of duality for many years now: minimal with super functional, complex technical construction with effortless shape, heritage fused with innovation….It is in these tensions, these conversations, I find interesting sparks start to emerge,” said industry veteran Alistair Carr, who was tapped as creative director for the special collection, in a preview.
Take the signature Fila velour track jacket as an example. It was offered in meaty, hand-knit renditions, over a wrap skirt for her and leather boxing shorts for him.
The idea of hyper-layering — which has emerged as a key trend this Milan season — resonated in the lineup, rich in performance-nodding turtleneck underpinnings beneath pristine white shirts, then paired with knit running bralettes on top or quarter-zip sweaters and outerwear, including a handsome suede and leather jacket.
There were whiffs of subverted ‘90s preppy in the Oxford ties added to many looks, tucked between the second and third buttons of shirts, and the polo shirts with open weave panels or track jackets onto which Fila’s signature chevron pattern was repurposed and placed diagonally. The latter — originally created by former Fila designer Pierluigi Rolando — informed draped frocks with V- or mock necks.
The sweaters knotted around the neck, scarf-like, over running shorts and a celeste zippered overshirt, or atop a red parka and technical skirt suit reminded one of the effortlessly cool style of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, now under the global spotlight thanks to the FX miniseries “Love Story.”
One could spot other characters, too, from the Milanese corporate girl in a gray boxy skirt suit with a front slit to the nerdy boy in sartorial pants and woolen bomber jacket and the boss lady in a flowing mixed-media skirt made of silk, perforated leather and trimmed in lace under a mannish overshirt and duster coat. Most looks were styled with the new “Sleek” sneakers collection, readily available at a pop-up inside 10 Corso Como.
The last time Fila showed at Milan Fashion Week was 2018. Back then metropolitan functionality ruled the show. Here it was the brand’s newfound urban cool credibility taking the spotlight.
