Ellesse sportswear and footwear

Ellesse is a renowned Italian-heritage sportswear brand founded in 1959 by Leonardo Servadio in Perugia, Italy. The name 'Ellesse' originates from the initials of its founder, 'L.S.' The brand became globally iconic in the 1970s and 1980s, particularly within the worlds of tennis and skiing, famously blending sportswear with high-fashion aesthetics. Its logo, the 'semi-palla,' combines the tips of two skis with a cross-section of a tennis ball.

Today, the brand's global intellectual property is owned by the British group Pentland Group, which acquired the brand in the 1990s. While the brand carries strong Italian DNA, its manufacturing is distributed across a global network of suppliers, primarily located in Asia (such as China, Vietnam, and India) and Turkey, to serve its international markets. In 2024 and beyond, the brand continues to operate through a mix of direct wholesale and strategic licensing agreements, such as its recent re-entry into the U.S. market via new licensing partnerships.