This summer, during the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships at the International Tennis Hall of Fame here in Newport, I had the opportunity to chat with designer Ginny Hilfiger. Yes, she has designed for her famed brother’s company but those years are just a part of more than two decades in the fashion industry. So it made perfect sense when FILA tennis approached Ginny to spearhead the evolution of the line’s signature Heritage Collection, which you’re seeing on the courts of the US Open this week. Here’s what she told me about the “old meets new” collection.
When did you debut the Heritage Collection for FILA?
It was the French Open this year. Jelena Jankovic got voted the Best Dressed in the dress I designed. And then my next collection is this one, the US Open, and each season I am doing more and more.
What has been you inspiration for this collection?
It’s all derived from the archives of FILA and the Björn Borg days and Monica Seles and all the archives. I actually established a trim code—like signature trims and hardwares, when I first started at FILA and I used those throughout the garments to have consistency in the modern heritage. So basically my thing is
modern heritage for FILA and taking the vintage from the archives and making it modern with my new detail code…the blue and white classic FILA; the striped ribbon. It’s all these little trims and threading that throughout and the red, white and blue. And I came out with a different way of doing the logo. So it’s taking the old but making it new with the fabrics, functional fabrics and modern silhouettes using FILA inspiration.
What has been the player reaction to the line?
We sold out of the French Open line!
How has your experience been thus far working with FILA?
Great! I love FILA. I love the people. It’s a great brand and there’s so much history. I’ve been all over the world for FILA. I was just in Sao Paulo…and designed a capsule for them. I was in China and got to see what they are doing there, Korea, Germany. … I designed a really nice Heritage line for China and a lot of the people are tagging on to it. It’s all based with the same DNA though. So it’ still using the signature detail but in a subtle way … and I love the CEO of the company, Gene Yoon; he’s such a young at heart kind of guy, so supportive to the whole thing I’m doing, and Jon Epstein in New York who’s the president – just a lot of really good people. It makes you positive and motivated.
See Ginny’s collections more new arrivals by FILA here: http://www.fila.com/new-arrivals/womens
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