Ellesse : Origins, Logo and History of the Brand

August 31, 2020 7 min read

1 Comment

Ellesse : Origins, Logo and History of the Brand

Fashion is probably one of the oldest professions in the world. Man has always acted by habit, by mimicry and by community. In every community there have always been rebels and these are the ones who make things happen.
It is not surprising then that fashion in terms of creativity is maintained by non-conformists who do not hesitate to bend the laws instituted by society to create their own laws of dress.

Look at TV, billboards and social networks, you will see that people don't give a damn about dress code and that's not a bad thing in itself. Imagine what the world would be like if we were all sort of zombies who followed all the rules to the letter. It would certainly be a source of pride for our parents, but a shame for an entire generation. We have no right to betray our creative mission. Creativity belongs to young minds.


Ellesse style
Leonardo Servadio understood this lesson when he created his clothing line in 1958, which later became one of the biggest brands in the sports industry.
Why do they tell you that you can't go to school in your sportswear, that you don't have to be fun when you exercise, that the color pink is for women? So many stupid rules that society imposes on us and that fashion never tires of crossing and redefining each time.

If you look around you will see that it is the young people of your age who make the fashion. The most famous ones in your high school or college are the ones who create their own style and it is this fun style and a possibility to play your creativity that the brand Ellesse offers you.
In this article we will learn about the history of this brand and how it became the favorite of high level athletes.

History of the Ellesse brand

Leonardo Servadio

Founded by Leonardo Servadio in Perugia, Ellesse refers to the initials of the founder who wanted to mark his mark in the history of fashion. The creation date dates back to 1958 and owes its fame to the manufacture of ski equipment from 1970.

Sport was no longer just a matter of physical effort or leisure, it had become a real fashion and trend business. He created the Jet Pant, which is a ski pant with padded knees and wide legs.

Ellesse ski outfit 1980

The model was presented at the Pompidou Center in Paris during an event dedicated to Italian fashion design. From the 70's to the 80's, Ellesse became famous for the clothing revolution that consisted in combining sportswear and urban fashion. As if that wasn't enough, Ellesse decided to highlight its logo on its sportswear, which was not usually seen. In 1980 the great French designer Charles de Castelbajac joined forces with Ellesse. It was an alliance that only reinforced Ellesse's vision that the sportsman must also be fashionable, must be fun, must be a star. It was thus considered as one of the greatest high-end equipment manufacturers on the planet..

Ellesse logo

Ellesse logo

The logo looks like half a grapefruit but is in fact a tennis ball surrounded by two ski tips. According to his close collaborators, this is a sport that Leonardo likes.

The Ellesse brand

This still raises the question of the creativity of the man but also of his audacity. With him you can learn self-confidence no matter how sensitive you are to sports and even if you don't have any. This self-confidence, which borders on arrogance, is necessary if you evolve in an individual sport or even in a collective sport. Learn to be authentic, to surpass others by your own means.

 

Celebrities who wore Ellesse

Many stars and sports personalities have worked with the Ellesse brand. The most prominent are skiers, tennis players and pilots. We can mention Tommy Haas, Chris Evert, Guillermo Vilas, Boris Becker, Mats Wilander, Arantxa Sánchez and Anna Kournikova. We also have skiers Marc Girardelli and Jean-Luc Crétier and Formula 1 driver Alain Prost. Virtually all types of sports are reached by its audience.

Roger moore and ellesse

We remember the famous boxer Mohamed Ali, the basketball player Maurice Cheeks and the skater Natas Kaupas. In the cultural register, Ellesse has dressed actors like Brigitte Nelsen and Roger Moore. She doesn't intend to stop there. She created the New York Cosmos outfit for soccer (1980s).

 

The arrival of Pentland Group

Since 1994, 90% of the brand's shares are owned by the British Pentland Group. This bigwig also owns the Australian brand Speedo. Only 10% remains with the founder. However, his name has remained a legend in the sports brand industry. It has now been in existence for over sixty years. Pentland gave its partners in different countries carte blanche to manufacture and distribute Ellesse products in their areas of establishment. A phenomenal return will be seen. 

A return of the 90's fashion

With the return of the 1990's fashion, the Ellesse brand is more relevant than ever. You only have to look around to see that sneakers and sportswear are used by everyone and especially by young people to go anywhere. Sportswear has become a chic and fun outfit. Now, to be stylish you have to wear sportswear not to go jogging but just to go to college or to have a good time.

Young people in ellesse

It is a fashion that is not likely to go away soon because sportswear is designed in several types depending on the season and adapted to all types of morphology. Practical, sportswear is more resistant to aggression and other external impurities than conventional clothing. In addition, you won't have to walk like you have a broom in your butt. You become more relaxed and less formal. In short, you are freer and less cluttered. Ellesse offers a range of sportswear in trendy and multicolored colors. It is an ideal range for the summer with all kinds of colors so that everyone can make their choice. Faithful to its tradition, the Ellesse logo continues to be displayed on its articles.

 

A resurrection since 2012

Since the 1990s, Ellesse was practically forgotten by everyone. The fashion she had created had become a dinosaur. It was only remembered for nostalgia or through an old photo that we stumbled upon during a search. In short, it was put away in the closet.

However, two decades after this setback, the big size is back in force with this fashion to wear sportswear without doing sports. Ellesse has become fun again and appreciated by everyone, which has given the brand its letters of nobility. However, it had to democratize its products by not limiting itself to the high-end production and by trying to diversify its clientele. 

It would take until 2017 to see the London store open and since then the brand has been steadily gaining ground. There could be several reasons for this fashion turnaround. Maybe it's just a cycle coming around the corner because if you look at the fashion cycle, everything is an eternal restart. There have always been periods where classic outfits like shirts, pants, etc., are in fashion and other periods where the rebellious spirit of consumers, and youth especially, flouts all these rules and so-called correct outfits to aspire to more freedom and fun in style. 

The products offered

Ellesse for men

Ellesse offers products for men, women and children. For men there are jogging suits, jackets, t-shirts, tank tops, jackets, pants, hoodies, etc. In terms of accessories, you have shoulder bags and other products that will go with the items it offers.

For women, there are tops, pants, leggings, tracksuit tops, jackets, shoes and other accessories.

Ellesse for women

Finally, for children, the products are categorized by age. The first category is between zero and three years old, the next between three and seven years old and the last one between eight and fifteen years old.

Whatever the article chosen there is always the vintage side that recalls the Italian source of the brand. For children, there can be casual clothing in junior and baby sizes. All the products for men and women are found in the children's category for everyone's happiness. These are clothes that you can wear to school as well as during a hike, a walk, etc.

A lifestyleEllesse in 2020

Elesse is not only a brand, it is a philosophy. It's the affirmation of creativity and the breaking down of formal barriers. Ellesse allows you to enjoy your creativity, to feel good in your clothes. It's real street art. Enjoy the magic of youth, show off your dream body and dress the way you want to and not the way "daddy aristocrat" would like you to..

Our advice

For all the above reasons, the minimalist style from Ellesse is a must if you want to be fun and trendy, if you want to be classy while staying zen. These are items that you can wear with light or colored jeans. Different accessories are available if you have a more daring style. Moreover, it will allow you to vary your style and to personalize your taste. Many stores have it in stock at the moment and you just have to make your choice.

Even if the most important thing is to feel good about yourself, it is also important to take your body type into account when choosing your clothing. Indeed, we dress for ourselves but also to take care of our image in the eyes of others. That's why the minimalist style of Ellesse is revolutionary because it's articles that fit you whatever your morphology

The Ellesse brand

Dressing for the event is one of the biggest questions we ask ourselves. With so many variables that can determine your style of dress, there is no one right answer to what to wear, which can make things a little difficult.

If you fall short of the norm, you risk offending your dinner companions. If you're way out of line, you'll make your host feel inadequate or uncomfortable. Ask the organizers for information. This is the best way to find out if you're going to a relaxed get-together in jeans or a more buttoned-up party with skirts, shirts and consorts. Hide earrings or a cute scarf in your bag if you need to.

Go with Ellesse's minimalist outfit and maybe you won't even need to change. For a picnic, there's nothing like Ellesse items that ensure you relax and make the most of this magical moment. So is a walk in the park, in the public garden or a trip to the beach.

The Ellesse brand

In any case, the Ellesse brand has not yet finished to amaze us. If for a long time, we had signed its death warrant, it comes back in force more than ever with crazy articles for the pleasure of sportsmen and also for those who are not..

To go further in streetwear

If you like the Ellesse brand and if streetwear is part of your clothing culture, then you should take a look at our collections, influenced by Asian streetwear, our products are just as unique and colorful, take a look at our collection of streetwear T-shirts to see for yourself.


1 Response

Daniel tonks
Daniel tonks

July 05, 2023

I have a retro jacket and I just can’t find anything about it and wondered whear I could take it to get its value

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