Take a Bite out of FILA’s “Famous NY Style Pizza” Collection
A tribute to five of New York's most iconic pizzerias.
New York City, a mecca of of fashion, music, and art; omnipresent in the realm of pop culture; and arguably, THE most famous city in the world. It’s known for many things and to its longest inhabitants, its pizzerias are almost as iconic as Lady Liberty herself and the Met. Great pizza is in the city’s DNA as much as the Knicks, Yankees, and Giants. When sneaker collaborations happen with other food companies, it’s a novelty. When FILA collaborates with the best pizzerias in New York, it’s a tribute – a show of respect.
The collaboration honors the most famous family-run pizzerias from each of the five boroughs, sharing their take on the FILA Original Fitness Ripple, FILA F-13, and FILA Renno. All of the pairs will feature a map of NYC at the tongue’s underside highlighting their establishment’s location; and each will come with a dual-branded custom shoebox, reminiscent of a pizza box.
Rubirosa Ristorante (Manhattan) — FILA Renno (US$100)
The Italian-American pizzeria on Mulberry Street’s take on the Renno is built on an orange, white, and gold colorway. The tongue holds a co-branded FILA and Rubirosa logo. The red streaks on the sides and sockliner is inspired by the restaurant’s outside awning, with a green FILA flag die cut logo on the lateral. Adding the finishing touches is the “one love” atop the red, yellow, and green hearts – a tribute to AJ, the founder’s legacy.
Roberta’s (Brooklyn) — FILA Original Fitness Ripple x Roberta’s (US$85)
Further downtown, we end up in Roberta’s, a Bushwick pizza staple. Their take on the full-white Original Fitness Ripple features a red all-over pattern of their famous script logo on the upper, while the tongue and heel counter features their skeleton chef insignia, with the insoles decorated to look like their menu.
sLICe Astoria (Queens) —FILA Renno x sLICe (US$100)
The Queens pizzeria’s signature colors of macadamia, orange and black is paralleled on the Renno, while the clean and sleek design alludes to the actual restaurant’s contemporary décor. The dual branding is applied to the tongue and insole with a repeating pizza graphic.
Louie & Ernie’s (The Bronx) — The FILA Renno x Louie & Ernie’s (US$100)
The green, white, and red on the Renno is an ode to the Italian flag. Louie & Ernie’s branding is embroidered on the tongue and the heel, and the words “Sorry, Cash Only” and “No Delivery” printed on the mudguard is an allusion to the pizzeria’s policies.
Lee’s Tavern (Staten Island) — The FILA F-13 x Lee’s Tavern (US$90)
Finally, we get to Staten Island. Lee’s Tavern’s FILA F-13 features a classic black and white color scheme over tumbled leather and suede. The FILA flag in black traverses the heel counter with the same color applied on the sockliner which also highlights their Hancock Steet corner signage – a design element prominent on the underside of the translucent outsole. The pizzeria’s branding is pressed on the collar and the heel carries the owner’s catchphrase, “What the world needs is pizza and quiet.”
If pizzas aren’t your favorite, how about burgers? Check out the Nike Dunk Low “Sesame”.