FASHION FIX: Fila's kits for the 2015 Australian Open

Fila has released the gear their ballers will be working at the 2015 Australian Open. The new Platinum collection offers a cohesive range of fashions, marked by fresh new fabrics, design details that showcase a high-end flavor, and stand-out styles. Training pieces were created to complement tennis apparel, for complete looks that can easily be worn on and off-court. As Fila’s most advanced line yet, technology is a crucial component of the Platinum story.

Jelena Jankovic, pictured above, will be wearing the Platinum dress ($90) in white and, appropriately, diva pink.

Germany's Julia Goerges will be sporting the Platinum wide racerback tank ($75) in diva pink/pirate charcoal and the Platinum skort ($75) in diva pink/pirate charcoal.

The women's collection also features a range of complementary pieces highlighted by the Platinum woven jacket, in silver/diva pink, which features embossed FILA neck taping, a bungee puller and stopper at curved bottom hem, a hood with drawcord, and front zippered pockets with lockdown pullers. The Platinum full zip jacket and pant, Platinum shorts, and Platinum capris with tennis ball pockets on the sides round out the collection.

American Sam Querrey will be wearing the Platinum zip placket polo shirt ($75) in white/navy power and the Platinum short ($60) in navy power/shocking orange.

Italy's Andreas Seppi will be sporting the Platinum laser cut top ($65) in navy power/shocking orange and the Platinum short ($60) in navy power/shocking orange.

The Platinum half-zip top and pants complete the men's collection. All styles are available at Fila.com. 

[Photo(s) credit: Fila]

FASHION FIX: Is Kuznetsova getting the good vibes?

Have you seen this Fila outfit before? Yes, no, maybe so? It's the outfit Kim Clijsters was supposed to wear to defend her US Open title. As we all know she was forced to pull out due to ANOTHER injury, this time to her abdominal area. Svetlana Kuznetsova was given the go ahead to wear it by the Italian sportswear brand.

I'm thinking it has some of Kimmie's lucky US Open vibes. Why? Because Sveta's actually playing well in Flushing Meadows. So far. I was hesitant to mention it because we all know the rollercoaster ride she puts us on when she hits the court these days. She can be playing well and then, out of nowhere, start spraying groundies everywhere but where they need to go. I suppose at some level we love the drama but it would be great to see someone of her talent (HELLO, she won two Slams somehow) play up to her ability. Plus, we still have JJ.

We should start a prayer circle for Sveta and hope she keeps this going. Then, maybe she won't have to wear Kimmie's hand-me-downs again, nice as they are. So there's that.

Pierluigi V-neck Top, $58

Pierluigi Skort, $60

Available at: Fila.com

[Photo(s) credit: Fila]

FASHION FIX: Kuznetsova keeps it classic in Fila

Could it be Svetlana Kuznetsova has turned a corner in 2011? The former Roland Garros champ has struggled all season long but seems to have found her game in the City of Light. She defeated and in-form Daniela Hantuchova 6-7 (8), 6-3, 6-2 and will face off against Marion Bartoli for a spot in the final four.

I really like the Fila kit she's been working on the red clay this year. She's been wearing the Whiteline Sleeveless Polo ($50) in black and white paired with the Essenza Ball Short ($28) in white.

The top, part of Fila's heritage collection, is a true throwback style which makes it stand out from everything else out there but with the large windowpane design stays modern. And while I'm not a big fan of shorty-shorts during matches, particularly during majors, they really work with the sleeveless polo style. But, if I had my way (like being the tours' stylist - please??) I would reserve them for the boys. I mean, they ain't called the Ball Short for nothing (though don't tell Sveta that).

[Photo(s): Fila, AFP PHOTO / JACQUES DEMARTHON]

FASHION FIX: Clijsters takes Fila back to her childhood for Roland Garros

Kim Clijsters + Fila are going old school again.

In celebration of their 100th anniversary, the Italian sportswear brand is launching a new collection at Roland Garros inspired by a Fila outfit Kimmy received for Christmas as a child in the mid 1980's. It's part of a series of 100th anniversary commemorative Champions collections worn exclusively by the 4-time Grand Slammer that also includes the Evonne Goolagong-Cawley inspired kit she wore during her winning run in Oz.

The Fila design team actually combed their archives searching for the outfit based on Kimmy's description. Once they discovered it, the team went to work. They updated the color palette to something brighter for a more modern silhouette. The short-sleeve top, warm up jacket and visor were adorned with the signature print design from her childhood outfit while the F-box 100 year anniversary seal logo was placed inside each piece. And the team used Shiny Crinkle Taslin fabric to give the warm up a full-on 80's look and feel (oooh, I remember it well).

The Champions collection can be found at specialty retailers nationwide or at fila.com.

[Photo(s): Fila]

FASHION FIX: Fila offers tank + tee to benefit Japan's relief efforts

Here's the Fila tank top Kim Clijsters was wearing during last night's event to benefit Japan and its recovery. It's only available for purchase this weekend at Fila's shop at the Sony Ericsson Open. The women's tank retails for $28 while the men's t-shirt (not pictured) will run you $30. All proceeds from the sale of these items will benefit Japan's relief efforts.

So if you're lucky enough to be in Miami taking in some world class ball bashing at the SEO make sure to swing by the Fila store and check them out!

[Photo(s): Fila, Getty Images]

FASHION FIX: Going day to night with Kim Clijsters + Venus Williams

Kim Clijsters made it safely through to US Open third round last night defeating Aussie Sally Peers 6-2, 6-1. Though the scoreline looked easy, the defending champ was broken twice and continued her serving issues keeping a mediocre 51% on first serves and throwing in four double faults. She'll face a sterner test in the third round where Wimbledon semifinalist Petra Kvitova awaits.

Kimmie is also debuting the Center Court Collection by Fila. For her day matches the Belgian baller is working the Center Court Cap Sleeve Top ($48) paired with the Center Court Skort ($45) while at night she's ball bashing in the Center Court Dress ($65).

I'm feeling the Center Court Dress much more than the day outfit. The top and skort fit well but the designs on their own are very busy, particularly with the blues and stripes fighting for attention. The two pieces alone are fine but together feels over-the-top. The night dress, on the other hand, looks fresh on Kimmie since she usually tends to stick with separates. The black tone offers the dress a nice contrast to the blue and adds sleek sexiness to the dress as does the tank style. Moreover, the silhouette is more flattering on Kimmie than the day separates.

Venus Williams debuted the winning design from her collaboration with Tide during her 7-6 (3), 6-3 second round win over the big-hitting 19-year old Canadian Rebecca Marino. The day outfit was a black and white printed halter dress with side slits. As you may recall, the 2-time US Open champ debuted her night dress from EleVen on Monday that continued the corset dress inspiration from the previous Slams most notably the "Can Can" style from Roland Garros.

I actually didn't mind the day dress print design so much but the fit and execution were an issue. The dress had some dangling ties which seemed to bother V at the start while it looked to be a bit short for her - she was constantly havig to pull it down. The night dress was pretty tame considering she described it as being "...a little bit louder, a little bit more in your face, and little bit more sexy," during Ralph Lauren conference call last week. I can see the sexiness but the rest she missed. Still, this dress actually looks well made and sturdy unlike some of EleVen's past offerings. Hopefully, V is getting a stronger grasp on her design chops.

Now, I'm not sure if this day dress is the one she'll be wearing for the rest of her matches or if it was a one time thing for the contest. She said she'd have two EleVen dresses for the tourney, but I'm not sure if she included this one. It does have an orange EleVen logo on the bust, though.


[Photo(s): Getty Images]

FASHION FIX: Fila debuts Center Court and Collezione styles for Roland Garros

If you follow me on Twitter you'd know I made a visit to the Fila offices in Midtown Manhattan, NYC earlier this month to view the collections for this year's majors. I had a great time and plenty of laughs with the team over there while also talking tennis, fashion and other fun nuggets. So here's a little overview of what the Italian sports apparel brand is showcasing at this year's Roland Garros!

The men, including Marin Cilic, Janko Tipseravic and Fabio Fognini, will be debuting the Center Court collection which features a bold color story and fabrications that provide ultimate breathability.

(L) Center Court Color Blocked Crew - $45
(C) Center Court Polo - $60
(R) Center Court Printed Crew - $50

Center Court Short - $45

The ladies of Fila, including defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, Agnes Szavay and Anna Chakvetadze, are showcasing the Collezione group which features timeless fashion and a sophisticated blend of style and comfort.

Collezione Dress - $65

(L) Collezione Cap Sleeve - $48
(C) Collezione Sleeveless Tank - $45
(R) Collezione Racerback Tank - $50

Collezione Skort - $45

Visit Fila.com for more information.

[Photo(s): Fila]

PHOTO OP: Checking out Thomas Reynolds launch event - guess who crashed the party?

Last night Fila along with Lord & Taylor and TENNIS magazine officially launched James Blake's Thomas Reynolds collection in NYC.

The evening began with a meet-and-greet with James on the main floor followed by a VIP party held on the retailer's rooftop. It was an absolutely spectacular evening under the lights of The Big Apple and featured big beats by DJ Sky Nellor and the ubiquitous Honey Deuce, the official cocktail for this year's US Open. Guests included people from the worlds of tennis, media, fashion, and music. James' coach Brian Barker was in attendance along with brother Thomas and momma Betty.



My friend Erin from Purple Gate Design attended the party with me and we were lucky (or persistent?) enough to grab a picture with the man of the evening:


And - SURPRISE, SURPRISE - Kimmie Clijsters made an unexpected appearance and I, of course, had to have a picture with the former US Open champ. Can I say her heels were sick and she was much taller than I expected? Fine, I might be short. But, whatevs, it's KIMMIE!


I also got to hang with Erwin + Nick of Tennis Served Fresh and Karen of Global Village Tennis News. It's always great to put a face to a name.

Make sure to pop on over to Fila.com to see more of the Thomas Reynolds collection. And, a big shout out to the Fila team for the invite!

(images via fila, DtL)

FASHION FIX: Fila returns to its roots with the Heritage collection

Dmitry Tursunov - Men's Heritage Stripe Polo

Though their ballers didn't fare so well in Miami, Fila's fashion game turn returned to its winning ways.

The sports apparel brand went back into their archives to launch the Fila Heritage line at this week's Sony Ericsson Open. This line comes courtesy of the Spring 2009 collection and harks back to the heydays of the 1970's when Bjorn Borg's iconic look (LOVE), which featured signature Italian styling, brought the brand some of its greatest popularity. This time, however, the gear gets the 21st century treatment with state of the art performance fabrications.


Each piece features the F-Box Heritage patch logo and the quintessential Fila colors of red, white, and blue.

The men's Heritage Stripe Polo details include a self fabric collar, 4-button placket and side vents, a snap contrast placket and contrast piping. The collection also includes 8 ½ ” inseam shorts, jacket and warm-up pants and was worn by Dmitry Tursunov (top).

Anna Chakvetadze - Cami Tank

Anna Chakvetadze wore her fave cami-tank from the Women's Heritage collection during her matches in Miami. Details on this piece include ruching on the center front and contrast twist back straps. Chaky also showed up to the Fila Friday Night Q & A host by Cliff Drysdale working the Heritage Jacket.

Anna Chakvetadze - Heritage Jacket

For more information on the line visit Fila.com and check out Svetlana Kuznetsova + Janko Tipsarevic in the Heritage Collection (note to Tipsy: go with this look next time. Just sayin'.)

And a big shout out to the Fila PR team for all the info!

Svetlana Kuznetsova

Janko Tipsarevic

Agnes Szavay

(images via fila, getty)

(UPDATED) More on Blake the budding fashionista, to develop signature performance + lifestyle collection for Fila

A huge "Thanks!" to the team over at Fila for sending me the following press release involving the addition of budding fashionista James Blake to the brand's stable and his collaboration on a signature collection:

Fila announced today that it has entered into a collaboration arrangement with ATP World Tour star James Blake to develop a collection of men’s apparel and footwear. The collection will incorporate the heritage of the Fila brand with a contemporary twist inspired by Blake’s signature style. He will collaborate with Fila’s design team to create a co-branded collection. The yet to be named collection will target today’s active male and will be the basis for the development of a long-term licensing business for Blake.

The collection will include tennis, golf, fitness and lifestyle apparel, performance and lifestyle footwear and accessories for men. Fila and James Blake will also explore other product categories as opportunities arise in the market. The collection will debut with a limited collection of tennis and fitness apparel that will be unveiled just before the 2009 US Open in New York. The collection will officially launch for the Spring Summer 2010 season.

James will wear Fila branded or co-branded tennis apparel and footwear exclusively on court and he will be featured in Fila’s worldwide marketing efforts. He is the first top ten American male in over ten years to sign with Fila. James will debut in Fila’s Collezione Apparel Collection and the Fila Alfa shoe at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with an athlete of James Blake’s caliber,” said Gene Yoon, Chairman of Fila. “Fila has been associated with champions in tennis and other sports for over 35 years. We are certain that through our collaboration with James, we will create a range of products that combines the rich style of our historic brand and James’ active and sophisticated lifestyle.”

“I have always had an affinity for the Fila brand,” said James Blake. “Ever since Borg graced the courts of Wimbledon in Fila, I have always been attracted to the Italian style, grace and sophistication of the Fila brand. My collaboration with Fila is much more than an endorsement arrangement. It will serve as the foundation of a business venture that I that will continue to build for years to come.”

Fila has a long and distinguished history in the world of tennis. The company has endorsement agreements with several ATP Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour athletes, is a major sponsor of the Sony Ericsson Open, Tennis Tournament at Indian Wells, and the Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships and is the footwear licensee with The Championships at Wimbledon.

Congrats James! I wasn't sure about the move to Fila from Nike but if they're offering you an opportunity for a post-tennis business venture, the development of a signature line, and the ability to be creative, I say it's a very smart one.

UPDATED: Okay here's one for the funny file. Thanks to DtL reader (with the sharpest eyes) Allison for tipping me off to some obviously photoshopped images of James Blake on his website. It seems someone in the J-Block was wielding a busted magic eraser and removed the Nike swooshes from some of his clothing in the pics but forgot a few pesky ones here and there. Nice job.

Was it a bitter divorce? You decide.

See below:



(image via tennisweek.com)

(UPDATED) FASHION FIX: James spotted working Fila in Melbourne - is Nike no more?

Thanks to DtL reader Jason for tipping me off to this image of James Blake practicing at Melbourne Park today.

The American baller looks to be working a Fila practice tee even though he just competed at the Hopman Cup in his usual Nike duds:


WTF?! I hadn't heard anything about James making the switch to Fila. I wonder if this is a new sponsorship or he just lose his luggage in transit and is borrowing the duds.

If this is signed, sealed, and delivered then he'll join Anna Chakvetadze this year as new ballers in the brand's stable.

Anyone have any info out there?

DO TELL!

UPDATE: Thanks to DtL reader migi for the following info from SportsBusiness Daily...

With Next Week's Australia Open U.S. tennis star James Blake will begin wearing Fila at next week's Australian Open after spending his career with Nike. The deal is expected to be formally unveiled soon.

And there's more over at tennis week too!

(images via Getty)

FASHION FIX: Chaky falls to Venus, works new Fila gear in Hong Kong

Thanks to DtL reader Phillip for tipping me off to the latest Anna Chakvetadze news!

The Russian lady baller, who was defeated by Venus Williams 6-7 (1), 3-6 at the JB Group Classic in Hong Kong today, was spotted working duds from her new clothing sponsor Fila. If you recall, Chaky made the switch from adidas to Fila during last season's US Open and joins Svetlana Kuznetsova + Agnes Szavay in the sports brand's stable.


Unfortunately we can't seen what she's wearing underneath the white cover-up (damn the weather!) so I guess we'll have to wait and see.

(images via AP, MIKE CLARKE/AFP/Getty Images)

FASHION FIX: Fila + Wallpaper collaborate on tennis-inspired polos

Fila and design magazine Wallpaper have collaborated on the incredible designs for two tennis-inspired polo shirts.


The first polo, called "Grand Slam", was inspired by Bjorn Borg's iconic tennis gear from the 1970's and "sports gold pinstripes and a solid block of glyphs, which, on closer inspection, reveal themselves to be the scores of each of Borg’s championship matches."

The reverse side features Bjorn's runner-up results which he may not care to see but I wouldn't mind wearing.


The second polo was inspired by Luke Wilson's character Richie (see below), a former elite baller, from the film "The Royal Tenenbaums". The design elements include a blue and white striped design and a graphic pair of sunglasses printed on the chest pocket.

LOVE.

(images via highsnobiety.com)

FASHION FIX: It's a pastel party at the Sony Ericsson Open

The lady ballers are having a pastel party in Miami right now after being hit with yellow fever earlier in the year. Serena Williams in Nike, Jelena Jankovic in Reebok (though I can't account for the uber-orange tone of her skin), and Svetlana Kuznetsova in Fila are all feeling the softer side of the color wheel at the Sony Ericsson Open.

And, just like he caught the ladies' fever while practicing at Indian Wells, Roger Federer will also go lilac for the French Open - I can't wait!

(image via Getty)