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STYLE NEWS
2015: Key brands
By Luke Raymond, 5 January 2015
Fresh from our rundown of key pieces to own in 2015, we turn to three brands that will define the year to come. Kicking off the second half of the decade with a distinctly retro vibe, we reckon 2015 will be defined by the terrace casual favourites of the 80s and 90s, as sportswear gets redefined with fashion in mind. With big new lines from Kappa, Fila and Ellesse on the horizon, it’s time to get your tracksuit on.
Picture: ASOS
Kappa
It all kicked off in 1978, when Maurizio Vitale and Marco Daniele Boglione of Italian brand Robe di Kappa decided to create a dedicated sportswear offshoot. Kappa gained popularity during the Los Angeles Olympics of 1984, when US athletes donned the label. Football supporters in the 80s then adopted the Italian label as their own, before it truly hit its fashion stride as the in-demand trackie brand of the mid-90s.
Easily recognised by its Omini logo – a man and a woman sitting back-to-back – and side-striped joggers and zip-up jackets, Kappa returns for 2015 with a slew of logomania T-shirts and trademark zip-up jackets, given an appropriately 80s spin with contrast piping and sporty rib details. Get on it.
Picture: ASOS
Fila
Originally dedicated to making underwear for the people of the Italian Alps, Fila – created in Biella, Piedmont by the Fila brothers in 1909 – expanded into knitwear in the 20s before entering the sportswear arena in the 70s. A favourite of tennis legend Bjorn Borg, Fila’s retro flavour also found favour with 80s football casuals before hitting the limelight again in the 2000s films of lad auteur Nick Love.
In line with 2015’s fashionable take on the terrace geezer, Fila’s matching polo shirts and short shorts will be key for summer. Sounds a bit much? Try the zip-up track jackets, joggers and T-shirts in Fila’s trademark red, white and navy colourways.
Picture: ASOS
Ellesse
Founded by Leonardo Servadio in Perugia, Italy, in 1959 – the brand’s name derives from his ‘L S’ initials, fact fans – Ellesse hit it big in the 70s with a slew of quilted jackets and ski pants, as well as making a mark on the tennis scene. Throughout the 70s and 80s, the brand paved the way for sports/fashion collabs, working with French designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac, before being added to the arsenal of designer-clad footy blokes in the 80s.
This year Ellesse present a refreshed riff on their heritage styles with long-sleeved polo shirts, crew-neck tees, tennis shorts and even padded jackets. Bold logos, contrast panelling and popping primary colours are the Ellesse archetypes to invest in.
