Ellesse Launches International Design Competition

ELLESSE, the Italian sportswear brand is celebrating its 50^th anniversary next year with the launch of a design competition that will see it collaborate with leading design partners on an international scale. Born in Perugia, Italy in 1959, ellesse has been at the forefront of sportswear over the decades, its famous half tennis ball logo displayed on an innovative range of clothes worn by the world's leading tennis and sports stars. Now, to mark its half century, ellesse is putting a call to artists to create an ambitious and thought-provoking piece of design, fittingly inspired by the sport of tennis and the brand's values of ‘La Dolce Vita', living the ‘good life.

ellesse is working with partners including The London Collage of Fashion and The Istituto Italia Design in Perugia to inspire entrants for the competition. World renowned illustrator and typographer, Si Scott has collaborated on the project and will judge the winning entries alongside key ellesse and Pentland designer and directors. The prize is $6,000 and the work will be showcased at ellesse's 50^th anniversary event that will take place in 2009 in the brand's birthplace of Italy.

The categories for the competition will range from fashion and textiles, right through to fine art, sculpture, street art, graphics and digital. This is a unique opportunity for practising designers, artists or art/design students aged 17 and above, from anywhere in the world, to produce a piece of art or design for a major lifestyle brand as it not only celebrates 50 years of iconic sports and leisurewear but the start of a whole new era for the company.