The Danish streetwear label, Wood Wood continues to explore the potential of collaborating. On this occasion, the brand turns its attention to FILA, the beloved Italian sportswear brand, to create a tennis-inspired capsule collection, based upon a mutual appreciation of sports. “Making collaborations is part of our DNA but also a learning experiment for us,” Wood Wood co-founder Karl-Oskar Olsen says. “There’s no specific way of doing things; it depends on how the process begins. Sometimes, it is a long process, and sometimes they pop up. Eschewing a predetermined manual, the team approach each project differently, and thereby, we always make sure to add a sense of newness.”
With this drop, Karl and his team wanted to create something that elevates the DNA and heritage that FILA represents, without adding unnecessary features. “We fell in love with the simplicity and authenticity when visiting their archive; this was the key to the collaboration,” he says. “Our background is different from FILA’s; the partnership still emerges from a common ground that supports both brands and the respective universes in a combined capsule.”
Riffing off the 70s – a decade when FILA’s international reputation skyrocketed, thanks to its popularity amongst the biggest tennis stars of the time – the collaboration revolves around the “timelessness of triumph” and “a genuine appreciation of sports”. There’s panel blocking and a colour palette of burnt orange, cream and brown on an array of tracksuits, sweats and tees for men and women. In other pieces, knitted pleats “assert texture and contrast to the rough surface, on which the game unfolds.”
This creative partnership has been documented within a short film, exploring both brands’ passion for the game. “We wanted to revisit this golden era of FILA tennis and especially the Björn Borg years. Each item from the capsule has an authentic feel to it,” Karl says. The colour palette is subtle, and it is classic, and as a whole, the collection borders between recreation and activewear.”
At a moment of instability, there’s an obvious comfort to be found in classic 70s style and tradition. But what comes next is just as important. “We ought to use the crisis to think in free and creative ways while focusing on the things that mean the most to us and add value; the rest is not needed,” Karl finishes. “There’s a positive uncertainty to 2021, and creativity will flourish in unseen forms. We will continue to explore unfamiliar territories to ensure constant development, and we will develop additional methods to interact with our community.”
Explore the universe of FILA by Wood Wood