(FILA North America) – December 1, 2020 – FILA has launched “Project 7,” a new, limited-edition collection represented by BTS, global brand ambassadors for FILA. The capsule consists of apparel,.
Source: FILA Launches “Project 7” Collection Exclusively on FILA.com
I have to be honest, I like BTS. I didn’t know anything about the Korean Group until my sister-in-law made my wife watch videos of the group when they were featured on James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke. Once we watched that video it took us down a rabbit hole of BTS videos and ultimately, as much as I wanted to say “Appropriation!”, I realized these dudes are really talented and sometimes it’s not necessary to say anything about their influences or why they sing R&B inspired pop music. Sometimes you just have to enjoy things.
While my title states that Fila continues to move upstream towards premium, the more I look at the brand I am beginning to realize that the company has two strategies in place. In the U.S. market they don’t look to compete with Nike and adidas. They have taken a Payless, styled approach by delivering footwear to uniform store and accounts that don’t have Nike or adidas.
In the international market every release caters to the mid to premium market. The privately held company has an estimated value of 2.6 billion. Which is much more than I assumed the company generated. I don’t want to make this a business report, but Fila is a compelling discussion on the U.S. market and whether a company has to rebuild itself in the U.S. as opposed to branding itself in the international market where consumers are not as focused on one brand.
I’ve long stated that influencer marketing is a three tiered process that can help a company maintain, retain or gain. This will definitely help Fila to both gain and retain considering the story around the group’s military service being delayed. The brand is playing up that aspect by creating a military inspired collection.
Description:
The capsule consists of apparel, accessories and footwear that fuse fashion with functionality. A mix of cold-weather wear and layering pieces, the “Project 7” apparel ranges from tees, hoodies and cargo pants, to fleece zip-ups, parkas, and quilted jackets. To complement the clothing, accessories include backpacks, shoulder bags, belt bags, socks, and hats. Rounding out the collection are four featured footwear styles: Project 7 Iteration Light, Project 7 Court Ace P7, Project 7 Wavelet Alpha, and Project 7 Curvelet.
The designs were inspired by military looks and functions, with silhouettes and textures that are comfortable, trend-forward, and crafted in materials suitable for the F/W season. Among the military influences are camouflage prints, utility inspired outerwear and neutral hues like black, grey, beige and green. Both FILA and “Project 7” branding embellish a selection of styles throughout the line.
Prices range from $17 for accessories to $220 for outerwear. Beginning on December 1, the “Project 7” collection is available for the first time in the U.S., exclusively on FILA.com.
