Fila Launches Performa Line in Size-inclusive Range
Fila is expanding its reach with the launch of the Performa collection for women that will be available in a wide range of sizes — from XS to 4X.
The 88-piece collection will include sports bras, tank tops, short-sleeve tops, long-sleeve tops, hoodies, sweaters, bike shorts, leggings and joggers. The launch collection for fall will offer two colorways: 52 pieces in a palette of black, white, navy, bright pink, coral, blue and a gray marble pattern, along with tie-dye prints. The second drop will feature navy, lavender blue and pink hues, with ribbed detailing.
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The collection took 18 months to create and features what the brand is touting as its “most advanced fabrications to date.” That includes Fila Uplift, which is being used in the bra tops as well as some of the tanks and long- and short-sleeve tops. The fabric, created with Lycra, offers four-way stretch and shape retention as well as moisture-wicking and an antimicrobial finish.
Fi-Lux, which is used in tanks, long- and short-sleeve tops, hoodies, sweaters and joggers, is designed for comfort. It is breathable with sweat-wicking technology and four-way stretch.
And Forza by Fila, which is being used for the biker shorts and leggings, is intended to compress, lift and sculpt the body during activity. Also made with Lycra, the pieces are breathable, feature moisture-wicking and anti-odor technology and are finished with a Coolmax lining.
The collection will retail for $35 to $108 and will be sold on the Fila website.
Jennifer Estabrook, president of Fila North America, said the collection had a soft launch at the U.S. Open but will be available to the general public starting today. It will be marketed on social media as well as through a number of female-owned workout studios and instructors around the country. The brand is also hosting a launch event in Brooklyn today during New York Fashion Week.
“Fila has a legacy in performance activewear and this is our latest iteration,” she said. But because of the inclusive sizing being offered in Performa, the company expects that it will appeal to a wide range of women.
Estabrook said customers had been asking for a larger size offering from the brand, and last fall, Fila launched the Curve line, which offered extended sizing in both active and lifestyle product. “Fila is all about inclusivity,” she said. “We want to make sure we have something for every activity and every body.”
Rather than create a line specifically for extended sizes, the brand decided to expand the size range within all its collections to accommodate more people. This is especially important since the pandemic when more people have embraced activity and wellness, she said.
Pre-COVID-19, Fila went up to XL, but now it offers sizing to 4XL, she said. But it wasn’t just a matter of making the pieces bigger, Estabrook said. Instead, the company worked hard on the fit through extensive testing and using feedback from customers.
Although Performa is initially being offered only for women, Estabrook said it will expand into men’s wear in 2022.
She declined to provide a volume projection for the line or venture a guess on how much of Fila’s total business it can represent, but said: “It opens up a channel of distribution in the upper size ranges so we hope to make it as big as we can.”
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