Why it belongs in ORBIS
Founded 1911 in Biella by brothers Ettore and Giansevero Fila as knitwear makers; the 1976 Settanta track top became a signature piece after Björn Borg wore it at Wimbledon from 1975.
FILA was founded in 1911 in Biella, in the Italian Alps, by brothers Ettore and Giansevero Fila, initially producing knitwear and underwear for the local Alpine population rather than sportswear. The company's transformation into an athletic brand came decades later, under managing director Enrico Frachey from 1968, culminating in the 1973 'White Line' tennis collection that broke with all-white club convention by introducing color and bolder silhouettes to tennis apparel.
From 1975, FILA sponsored Björn Borg, designing the tracksuits, shorts and polos he wore through his Wimbledon-winning years. The Settanta track top, designed in 1976 with its jersey construction and contrast piping, became the piece most associated with that partnership and remains one of FILA's most recognized archive designs today.
The brand's roots as an Alpine textile maker, rather than a sportswear label from the outset, are part of what distinguishes its history from competitors founded directly as athletic-wear companies.