This article originally appeared on Vogue Business. To receive the Vogue Business newsletter, sign up here.
Another day, another new creative directorship in fashion — and we predict this new recruit might be among the most inspired hires of 2024.
Following 15 years of building his London skate startup Palace into one of the most recognisable (and rascally) brands in global streetwear, Lev Tanju has taken on a surprising side hustle: today, he is named creative director of the 113-year-old Italian sportswear brand Fila’s new “elevated” offshoot, Fila+.
In a statement issued this morning, Fila global brand president Todd Klein said: “We are thrilled to welcome Lev as the creative director of Fila+. His forward-thinking approach is aligned with our mission to innovate while honouring Fila’s legacy as a premium sports brand.”
Tanju says that while he’s been offered creative roles before — and done a little under-the-line consulting — this was the first offer that intrigued him enough to bite. He explains: “At the Fila archive, I was really inspired. There are so many things about the brand I didn’t know about that I think are really incredible. I love sportswear, and I love making clothes, and I felt really comfortable with the people and interested in the brand — so I thought, ‘OK, great’.”
Tanju has been dividing his time between London, where he will continue to rule Palace, and Milan, home of the Fila+ studio, for the last five months as he shapes its debut collection. This will be shown to buyers in Paris next week behind closed doors prior to its reveal in June. The plan is to distribute the collection across e-commerce partners, department stores and selected multi-brand boutiques.
Photo: Courtesy of Fila