Melissa and Fila partner up for vintage style collaboration
BRAZILIAN footwear brand, Melissa has brought to the Philippines its limited edition collection done in collaboration with Italian sporting goods brand, Fila, making it the first Melissa collection geared towards the currently popular “athleisure” trend.
“I think this is the first time Melissa has partnered with a brand known for its sportswear. So it’s the first time Melissa has come out with such sporty styles,” Joanna Co, managing director of Tykes Trading, Inc., the official distributor of Melissa in the Philippines, told BusinessWorld during the launch on April 4 at the Melissa store in SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.
The collection which is said to “spotlight contemporary street style and athletic spirit,” according to a press release, features the DNAs of the two brands: Melissa’s jelly shoes and Fila’s classic sporty silhouettes which NYLON magazine called “grandpa sneakers” in a March article announcing the collection launch in the US.
While this is the first time Melissa has partnered with Fila, this is but one of the numerous collaborations the footwear brand has done throughout the years — previous collaborators included Sanrio and Vivienne Westwood.
There are four styles to choose from in the collection, each of which takes inspiration from the 1980s and the ’90s. These are the chunky high platform Melissa Sandal+Fila (P4,999) with a jagged sole and two thick double-lock Velco straps; a “modernized take” on one of Melissa’s most popular products, the Melissa Slide+Fila (P3,999) features the collaboration’s logo on the upper as a tribute to Fila’s Borg logo from the 1970s. The collaboration also offers the Melissa Sneaker+Fila (P4,999) which features Fila’s signature palette of navy, red, and white contrasted against a solid-colored base of white, gray or charcoal, and a fanny pack called the Melissa Pochete+Fila (P3,999), an accessory said to be made for “the street-savvy, ready-for-anything go-getter.”
“This is not the type of footwear you’d wear for running, it’s a lifestyle pair but if you want to achieve a sporty look, this is one of the pairs you can use,” Ms. Co said.
Each style is available in multiple colorways and is currently available in all Melissa stores nationwide and online via www.melissaphilippines.com. — Zsarlene B. Chua