Australian by L'Alpina t-shirt

Australian by L'Alpina is an iconic Italian sportswear brand that gained significant international recognition for its high-quality tennis apparel and street fashion. Founded in 1946 by Leardo Gabrielli under the company name L'Alpina Maglierie S.p.A., the brand was envisioned to bring Italian craftsmanship and technical innovation to the world of sports. The hallmark of the brand is its distinctive kangaroo logo, often featured as a small embroidered patch on the chest. This logo was chosen to represent a move forward and agility, characteristics associated with both the animal and the high-performance athletes the brand originally targeted.

While the name 'Australian' suggests a connection to the continent, the brand is purely Italian in origin, design, and manufacturing. Throughout the late 20th century, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, the brand transitioned from the tennis courts—where it was worn by professionals like Ivan Lendl—to becoming a staple of European subcultures, especially within the Dutch 'Gabber' and hardcore rave scenes. Today, the brand remains a symbol of retro-sportswear luxury, maintaining its manufacturing roots in Italy and continuing to be owned and managed by the original founding family company.