CNCPTS x FILA Original Tennis: Classics Remastered

There are certain models, styles and even brands that only seem to look right when they’re done up in heritage-based colorways. And while that may work to the detriment of big picture sales, there’s something to be said for a shoe looking so right as is, that there’s almost zero room to change it up. In many cases, this is a gift and curse that Fila knows all too well. Even with a slew of classic silhouettes at their disposal, there are a handful of easily identifiable Fila color schemes that are so iconic within the brand, that it can be incredibly difficult to switch up the formula and still have the same impact.

As a result, Fila collaborations have been pretty few and far between in recent years and it’s rare that newer colorways have made much noise for the simple fact that the shoes rarely seem to resonate with consumers without some sort of classic navy/red or green/red elements worked into the mix. While Fila has had a comeback year in the retro basketball realm with the resurrection of the Grant Hill and Jerry Stackhouse signature models, when it comes to the tennis category that was such a street style staple of the ’80s and early ’90s, it’s been a while since the original cornerstone of the brand has returned to its former glory.

Recognizing the brand’s significance in sneaker history and the fact that there are plenty of Fila-heads still out there ready to scoop up a fresh pair when they’re done correctly, renowned Boston shop, Concepts, has taken it upon themselves to get the ball rolling. Rather than going down the potentially treacherous new colorway road discussed earlier, Concepts pays tribute to the classics, putting a contemporary luxe spin on the Original Tennis silhouette via some tried and true Fila color combos.

The CNCPTS crew has whipped up two versions of the shoe using premium material make-ups to update the originals and adding some additional style touches to further spice things up a bit. Also featuring gold foil co-branding on the insoles, a cool hangtag and tennis ball, as well as a special custom box, Concepts manages to keep the shoes clean and traditional while still throwing in some nice extras to further sweeten the deal. Continue on for the full gallery and interview, and look for these to release in-store and online at Concepts this Saturday, November 9th.

Sneaker News:  Most shops probably aren’t pursuing Fila collaborations these days, but there was a time when these were very sought-after models. For the benefit of our younger readers, why are these classic Fila models so important from a historical context?

Concepts:  The Fila Tennis classic is one of the rare cases where a shoe was embraced by sport, street and skate culture. With that in mind, it’s a perfect model to represent what Concepts is all about.

SN:  Fila has made some noise in recent years with some of their basketball retros, but it’s been a while since the tennis models were in the spotlight. Do you think the time is finally right for them to make a comeback?

Concepts:  The 90’s Fila basketball shoes are mostly sought-after by basketball enthusiasts but the Fila Tennis is a great all-around shoe and can be appreciated across the board. It’s always the right time for a shoe like that.

SN:  What was your approach going into the design process? Was the plan always to go the heritage route from the very beginning?

Concepts:  We definitely wanted to respect the original version of the shoe while updating the materials and putting our twist on it.

SN:  Please give us a breakdown of the materials used on your Original Tennis colorways.

Concepts:  Both colorways feature a suede upper, embroidered webbing flag, co-branded tennis hangtag with a leather lining and insole with gold foil insole branding. We used a gum sole on both as well.

SN:  Do you ever worry about a project like this not having the same built-in mass appeal as say a New Balance or Asics collab or are you guys confident in the open-mindedness of your consumer base and their ability to recognize a good shoe when they see it?

Concepts:  We don’t. We go into every project witht he same mind set. Making the best possible product that we can. It’s great to work with brands that are out of the norm. This is a shoe our design team grew up wearing so the history was there and the ideas all fell into place.

SN:  What are the possibilities for Fila in the market right now if more heritage models are brought back the right way?

Concepts:  Anything is possible, it just needs to be done in the right way. The right materials, the right shape etc.

SN:  Concepts has worked on footwear collabs with quite a variety of different brands. How important is it to you guys to show diversity in the partners you team up with for these special projects?

Concepts:  It’s crucial to developing our brand and reputation. We’re not interested in catering to a certain demographic. We’re interested in being creative and paving our own way so we’re not afraid to work with brands that may be a little under the radar at the time.

SN:  With 2013 coming to a close soon, can we expect to see any other Concepts collaborations surface before the year’s end?

Concepts:  We have collaborations and our own product lined-up to be released extremely frequently well into the new year. Plan on seeing something new weekly.