(FILA Luxembourg S.à r.l.) – Source: FILA + Bgirl Alessandra Chillemi Partner Up for Paris
FILA was a constant part of the uniform of Hip-Hop’s early days. From FILA appearing in graffiti on Just Ice’s album cover, to Rakim rocking FILA suits in the iconic “I Ain’t No Joke” music video, fat laces and Fila Tennis sneakers were a consistent presence in the culture. FILA hasn’t done a great job of continuing that connection and they have basically left the brand to off-price retail while still attempting to create product for mainstream sneaker stores. It’s been a complicated mix of awkward distribution vs interesting product development like the Brooks Brothers collab and Krost collection. Seeing the sponsorship of Alessandra is interesting especially during Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary year. Fila’s support of the Parisian B-Girl is definitely geared towards her participation in the upcoming 2024 Olympics, where breakdancing has been added as a sport. FILA has yet to do anything specific to celebrate the culture, but this is definitely a cool story for International Women’s Day.