Lance Avery Morgan
From Dynasty To Dallas: The Iconic Italian Sportswear Label That Ruled The ’70s And ’80s Returns To America With Tennis, Style And A Distinctly Texas-Sized Sense Of Occasion…Just In Time For The U.S. Open
Photography by Tamytha Cameron
Some fashion comebacks arrive quietly; ellesse has never really been that kind of brand. Once a must-have on tennis courts, ski slopes and the style-conscious streets of the 1970s and ’80s, and a familiar sight in the glamorous television universe of Dynasty, the iconic Italian label is stepping back onto the American stage. Its new U.S. chapter officially launched in Dallas with “After the Match: A Brand Relaunch Celebration,” a recent afternoon at Banner House at T Bar M that brought together tennis, fashion, culture, and hospitality. With its unmistakable heritage, contemporary collection, and three-year partnership with T Bar M, ellesse is proving that some style statements don’t go out of fashion; they simply wait for their next serve, according to our lifelong tennis enthusiast Lance Avery Morgan.
There was a time when seeing that unmistakable orange-and-red ellesse logo meant you were looking at someone who knew exactly what they were doing. In fact, when ellesse kindly sent us some product to don on the courts, we immediately felt (and looked) like a world-class tennis pro.
Many recall that in the 1970s and ’80s, the Italian sportswear label was everywhere; from tennis courts and ski slopes to the fashion-conscious streets and, eventually, the glossy world of American television. For anyone revisiting old episodes of Dynasty on Tubi, the era’s unmistakable ellesse aesthetic can feel like a little fashion time capsule: athletic, polished, colorful and unmistakably aspirational.
ellesse Is Ready For Its Next American Chapter…And It Is Beginning In Dallas
The Italian brand recently celebrated its official U.S. launch with “After the Match: A Brand Relaunch Celebration,” an afternoon that brought the spirit of Italian sport and style to Banner House at T Bar M, where ellesse has become the club’s official three-year apparel partner. The setting could hardly have been more fitting. T Bar M has been part of Dallas’ tennis culture since 1972, while its newly reimagined Banner House brings together racquet sports, hospitality, wellness, design, and social connection.
For ellesse, the occasion was about more than introducing a collection. It was about reconnecting with a brand identity that has always understood that sportswear can be about as much style as sport.
Founded in Perugia, Italy, in 1959 by tailor Leonardo Servadio, ellesse initially made its mark with innovative ski apparel before moving decisively into tennis in the 1970s. Its signature half-ball logo, an ingenious combination of a tennis ball and ski tips, became one of sportswear’s most recognizable visual signatures. By the 1980s, the brand had become synonymous with the increasingly fashionable intersection of athletic performance and street style.
And what a moment that was.
Then, ellesse dressed some of tennis’s biggest stars, including Chris Evert, Guillermo Vilas and Boris Becker. Becker famously won Wimbledon in 1985 wearing ellesse, while Evert became one of the brand’s most recognizable ambassadors. The label’s influence extended well beyond tennis, appearing in football, Formula 1 and the broader fashion culture of the era.
That history helps explain why the brand can feel instantly familiar. Its archive has become part of the visual language of the ’70s and ’80s; a period when the boundaries between athletic clothing, celebrity style and fashion were beginning to blur.
Todd Furniss, Chairman of The Iconic Brand Corporation, and Duwayne Miller, CEO of The Iconic Brand Corporation, welcomed guests and shared their vision for bringing ellesse back to the American market. The Dallas-based relaunch represents a significant new chapter for the brand, with The Iconic Brand Corporation overseeing its U.S. apparel business. The company has established ellesse’s U.S. headquarters in Dallas and relaunched the brand’s American e-commerce platform as part of the comeback. About the brand, they shared their thoughts with Curated Texan.
“From day one, the vision was to reintroduce ellesse as a premium lifestyle brand rooted in authentic Italian heritage, ” shares Todd Furniss and Duwayne Miller. “Before any core strategies, I wanted to learn more about where the brand originated, so I traveled to Perugia, Italy, to meet some of the people who helped build its legacy from 1959. I also spoke to local residents across the city who still had such fond memories of the brand. That experience, combined with consumer research validating people still remembered ellesse for its high quality and style, gave me confidence that the brand had massive equity.”
They go on to say, “Our job has been to honor that foundation and balance relevancy to inspire today’s new generations. It all truly starts with understanding and trusting what made the brand successful in the first place. Leonardo Servadio built ellesse on premium quality, innovation, and elevated design, and those foundational principles still guide consumers today. We’re incorporating those values and applying them to reimagined product assortments on court and on mountain, and they will extend into luxury lifestyle for both men and women. The Italian lifestyle of La Dolce Vita will exude in all we do and we hope that influences a very exclusive point of view for all generations of consumers that choose ellesse.”
When asked why craftsmanship, product quality, and Italian design are central to the relaunch, and how will ellesse uses a measured U.S. distribution approach to drive long-term growth while expanding beyond tennis into fashion, culture, and broader lifestyle experiences, the duo has their eye on the ball, pun intended. “Authenticity. We incorporate consistent design principles as the foundational approach to all our product design,” they agree. “This is essential for building a unique point of view within our range architecture and enabling each ellesse product to feel an authentic part of the brand. We want consumers to immediately recognize the attention to detail, from the fabrics and fit to the design and craftsmanship. Joining functionality with real finesse is high fashion. That’s what we are doing. Beyond the product, we want them to experience a brand with genuine Italian heritage, optimism, and a distinct point of view. Plus, ellesse has always represented more than sport; it represents a lifestyle centered on community, quality, and enjoying life.
The duo is also very focused on the business side of things, too. “Our U.S. distribution strategy is our direct DTC website www.ellesse.us, top-tier tennis clubs, ski resorts, pop-up events, and including our own flagship stores in key cities. As pioneers of Italian sports style, our intent is to develop and inspire a visionary portal of experience and long-term presence in the American market for consumers and ellesse. This could include watches, leather bag collections, luxury hotel linens from Italy, Umbria-style Italian restaurant collaborations, and boutique hotels. We hope to build a brand in ellesse that seamlessly combines technical innovations, authentic heritage values, and modern cultural relevance. History has shown that when the right brand enters the market at the right moment, it can shape culture.”
The Dallas Celebration Brought That Heritage Squarely Into The Present
Media, creators, brand partners, and leaders from Dallas’ sports, fashion, lifestyle, wellness, and business communities flocked to the Banner House to shop the latest ellesse collection, mingle, and enjoy Italian-inspired bites and cocktails from beverage partner Aperol.
Adding an extra dose of tennis-world credibility, Martin Guntrip, Club Director at Wimbledon, joined the celebration for an audience Q&A, discussing tennis, Wimbledon, and his experiences inside one of the sport’s most storied institutions.
Naturally, there was a little competitive spirit involved, too.
A tennis-themed giveaway allowed guests to win prizes that would make any tennis aficionado swoon, including a tennis ball signed by Jannik Sinner, an autobiography signed by Roger Federer, and two tickets to the women’s final at Wimbledon 2027.
Among those attending were: Martin Guntrip, Todd Furniss, Duwayne Miller, Martha Jackson, Brady Wood, Jeff Turpin, Amber Freeland, Karis Reneé, Tiffany Woodson, Haley Anderson and Hannah Wing, along with representatives from across Dallas’ influential sports, fashion, lifestyle and business communities.
The choice of Dallas feels particularly appropriate. This is a city where heritage and reinvention routinely share the same zip code… and where tennis, fashion, hospitality and social culture have long overlapped.
For ellesse, the U.S. return is less about looking backward than knowing exactly what is worth bringing forward.
The bold logo. The Italian sensibility. The tennis pedigree. The colorful confidence. The unmistakable nostalgia.
And perhaps most importantly, that slightly irresistible feeling that you’ve seen it all before, somewhere between the tennis club, the fashion pages, and, of course, a vintage episode of Dynasty on Tubi.
Only now, ellesse is back on the court, and Dallas has the front-row seat.
5 Reasons Ellesse’s Dallas Comeback Is Right On Point
1. It Has Serious Vintage Cred. Long before “retro” became a fashion strategy, ellesse was already defining the look. Its bold Italian sportswear aesthetic was a fixture of the 1970s and ’80s… and even made appearances in the glamorous television world of Dynasty.
2. Tennis Is in Its DNA. From the courts of Wimbledon to today’s fashion-forward racquet clubs, tennis has always been central to the ellesse story. The brand’s partnership with T Bar M brings that heritage full circle in Dallas.
3. Dallas Gets the First Serve. With its U.S. headquarters in Dallas and a growing presence at T Bar M, ellesse is making the city a central part of its American comeback—not simply another stop on the map.
4. Sport Meets Style. Ellesse has long understood that what you wear to play can be just as expressive as what you wear afterward. Its return embraces the increasingly blurred line between performance apparel, streetwear, and fashion.
5. Nostalgia Has Never Looked So Good. For anyone who remembers the brand from its initial ’70s and ’80s heyday, or discovers it while watching vintage Dynasty episodes on Tubi, ellesse’s return offers something particularly appealing: a beloved piece of fashion history, refreshed for a new generation.
