AW21: Fila Collection Designed By Katie Grand.
We haven’t had that many places to go over the past year, which especially rings true to those who have worked from home. Navigating between the holy trinity of one’s bed, fridge and desk, our sedentary lives have only been broken by either walks or runs outdoors. This, in turn, has changed our relationship with clothes and fashion – something perfectly understood by FILA in digitally presenting its 110th Anniversary Collection in Milan.
The collection was exhibited through the eyes of The Perfect’s Katie Grand, who was in charge of both the styling and creative direction. Bringing the spotlight on FILA’s history and traditions, Grand focused on a series of traditional pieces with a modern twist.
Drawing inspiration from sports such as golf, tennis, gymnastics and swimming, the collection contained a wide array of pieces – thin-striped one-piece swimsuits were either contrasted with a red mountain climbing jacket or a black turtleneck worn underneath; tennis knits were complemented with a long skirt or tracksuit bottoms; and white gymnastics top juxtaposed with navy shorts. The looks were adorned with the iconic Fila F-Box logo designed by Sergio Privitera in 1973.
Presented through a short film created by Grand and director Steve Mackey, the collection was exhibited through a combination of deep nostalgia found in pixelated video game graphics reflected on the walls of a narrow corridor (courtesy of Dan Tombs of 2MS Studio) and contemporary fluorescent lighting. The marching orders were given by the ‘85 hip-hop classic Schoolly D ‘Put Your Fila’s On.’
The collection blended utilitarian sportswear with contemporary sensibilities – each could be easily used either as a wardrobe staple or given new life through the individualistic flair of its owner. The way the global situation currently stands, investing in quality sportswear wouldn’t be such a bad idea – especially if the pieces are multifunctional.
Writer Philip Livchitz.
