The brand had very humble beginnings, founded by two brothers Ettore Fila & Giansevero Fila. In 1911 the pair started out as a small textile shop & manufacturer in Biella, a small town in northern Italy, providing solely for the locals. In 1942 the company expanded & merged with the Fratelli Fila company. In 1968, one of the brothers, Giansevero, hired Enrico Frachey as the company’s Managing Director.
The brand then wanted to take a new direction & have a more sports appeal about them. In order to fully get their foot through the sportswear door, they began sponsoring big name tennis players of the time, initially being Bjorn Borg, before later also sponsoring Boris Becker, Jennifer Capriati, Monica Seles, and Kim Clijsters. This is when Fila first started gaining recognition & earning their Tennis heritage they’re renowned for to this day.
