ellesse is a
sportswear company founded in
Italy in 1959, producing
apparel, footwear and
accessories. It has been owned
by British Pentland Group since
1987.
The founder of
the brand, Leonardo Servadio was
an avid skiing fan, but he
couldn't find the right skiwear
so he decided to make his own.
Originally an Italian taylor,
Leonardo's mission was to break
the boundaries between fashion
and sport.
The brand began
by manufacturing the skiwear
that Leonardo had envisioned.
Pioneering the innovative 'Jet
Pant',
Ellesse created a new ski
trouser concept where the leg
fit above the ski boot.
Following this they created the
quilted jacket, which became the
new staple for the skiing crowd.
Ellesse had such a reputation
for quality winter sports gear
that it was easy to move into
tennis apparel and gain a
following.
The famous
'half-ball'
Ellesse logo
combines a cross section of a
tennis ball with the tips of a
pair of skis, symbolising the
brand's heritage in both of
these sports. Ellesse began
placing their logo on the
outside of clothes, and are
historically reported to have
been one of the first brands to
do this. It was immediately
copied by other brands around
the world.
Over the years
Ellesse have worked with
countless events and athletes,
further cementing their legacy
in the sportswear world. They
sponsored the New York Marathon
in the 1980s, several tennis
players like Boris Becker, Chris
Evert and Guillermo Vilas. In
1998 Jean-Luc Cretier won a Gold
medal whilst skiing in Ellesse
gear; the image graced the cover
of Time Magazine and was a
historical moment for the brand.
ellesse is now a
global sportswear brand with
distribution in more than 100
countries around the world and
sponsors British number 1
Johanna Konta.
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