Despite being founded over a century ago in the Italian Alps – first as a textile shop selling sewing materials in Biella, then a producer of knitwear and underwear – it was not until the 1970s that Fila became synonymous with sportswear, when then-managing director Enrico Frachey hired designer Pierluigi Rolando to create the brand’s first tennis kit.
Titled the ‘White Line‘ – its name a reference to the traditional all-white tennis uniform – the end result was anything but, combining vivid panels of green, red and navy with the traditional white and spawning still-available styles like the Fila Tiebreaker track jacket or the BB1 polo shirt. Two years after its advent, in 1975, five-time Wimbledon champion Björn Borg adopted the Fila uniform; with it, he created perhaps tennis’ most enduring look.
Fila introduces the innovative Monzo Forza tennis shoe
This year, Fila is celebrating half a century in tennis with a year of celebrations which began at BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells this past March. There, archival uniforms were shipped from Biella to be displayed at the Californian tennis tournament, while a new ‘Tie Breaker’ collection was also unveiled on a slew of Fila-sponsored players. This month, festivities continue with another new release, the Mondo Forza, a performance tennis sneaker developed by the Fila Futura Innovation Team.
Primed for the demands of the modern game, which is increasingly reliant on strength and speed, a style a split-surface outsole is used for both traction and easy transition of the foot, ‘two vital components to playing an attacking style of tennis,’ as Fila describes (the Mondo Forza is particularly designed for the ‘aggressive baseliner’). A blend of natural and recycled materials, meanwhile, is used for cushioning and energy return (a wood-based plate, for example, is used to create stability in the midsole).
Aesthetically, the sleek, unadorned design – with an ergonomic sock-like upper, which promises to fit the first time without needing to be worn in – was consciously designed as a riposte to ‘overbuilt’ tennis shoes whereby added visual and technical components contribute little to the player’s actual performance.
‘The Mondo Forza is meticulously crafted from the ground up,’ says Luca Bertolino, global brand director at Fila. ‘In honour of our 50th year in tennis, we wanted a design that was focused on the modern player, and dedicated to helping players achieve even greater performance. We know that this shoe is true to our brand’s Italian heritage and is going to be an exceptional performer for everyone.’
Fila’s Mondo Forza tennis shoe is available now from fila.com and numerous speciality tennis retailers worldwide.
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