Thinking back to my childhood, only a few major sports apparel companies come to mind – Nike, Adidas and Fila. But for the past 10 years, I haven’t heard much about the brand. What happened to our fabulous Fila stripes?

Fortunately, they weren’t hard to track down. Fila is back and stronger than ever with a fashionable and racy golf collection. I chatted with Nancy Robitialle, the head golf designer of Fila’s North American division, about the brand and what it has planned.

Tell us a little about yourself. Why should a golfer buy a piece that you have designed?

I have been in the industry for years and have a lot of experience with all types of athletic brands. But most importantly I am a golfer. I understand the wants and needs of our consumers. I have researched the market extensively and created something that every golfer will feel comfortable and stylish in.

Tell us a little bit about the Fila Golf Collection.

We have had the license in North America for more than two years now and just came out with our first collection this year. All pieces are created by us in-house (in Montreal) which validates the brand so much more. Having pieces made in North America gives the brand an edge and makes perfection that much easier.

Tell me a little about the Fila comeback. What measures is the brand taking to spread the word?

The clothes truly speak for themselves. But in order to get the pieces into your hands we have partnered with a group called Buffalo Communications that has gotten us some great exposure and press.

How about tour players? Who is wearing your gear?

We were fortunate to sign rising LPGA star Stacey Lewis, who finished in second place this past weekend in Mexico. She is the perfect ambassador for our brand. Having her wearing our brand is also a great way to reach out to consumers and vendors. It gives our brand credibility. If Stacey plays in it, why shouldn’t we?

How about the fabrics? As a golfer you know how important these are.

The entire collection is manufactured with recycled polyester fabric. I know what you are thinking with the polyester - it does not smell at all. Polyester is known to have a smell associated with it but this particular type of fabric definitely does not. It is a lightweight fabric that wicks water away and sweat never seeps through.

Also, using recycled soda bottles and plastics in our fabrics is a green concept. We are trying our best to be as green as possible and doing our part in protecting the environment.

Besides the fabric, what separates you from the other large golf companies, such as Nike and Adidas?

We are different from both of those companies. We are offering European styling with different fits, fabrics and colors. Most of the collection is made of bright and bold stripes. It just adds a little twist on the collection. I can guarantee that you won’t ever look boring or generic on the tee box.

We also have 50 new designs every season. And the great thing is that the designs are always going to blend with the previous collection. No need to buy a whole new wardrobe!

Where can we purchase the pieces?

The best way to find the Fila golf collection would be to ask your local pro shop for it. We are also working on an online store; it should be up and running in the next month.