Sergio Tacchini between John McEnroe and A$AP Nast Rise and fall of a sportswear brand loved by casuals soccer fans in England and rappers in New York

The fashion world in the last years has unveiled some strange and daring collaboration, but only a few are unforeseen as the one between A$AP Nast and Sergio Tacchini at first sight. Probably we’ll never know what brought the musician and fashion icon to work with an Italian brand who saw better days, but there are many reasons why. 

On the presentation video for the collection, first Nast show off in typical hip hop fashion, sit on a brand new Mercedes but after appear a Nast in Hooligan version, hunt in an alley with his friends. It’s a cross between two world, the Terracewear of the UK arenas and the Golden Era of Hip Hop of the ‘90, that have a focal point on a brand created by an Italian tennis player sixty years ago.

Born in 1966 as Sandys S.p.A soon it changes the name in that of its founder, embroidering it on every piece not without a little bit of mythomania. Following the steps of René Lacoste and Fred Perry, Sergio Tacchini became the first italian athlete to have its own sportswear company. And if his sport results doesn’t match the ones of his peers, he had the right initiative to become a successful entrepreneur.  

The success in the sports world

For Sergio Tacchini tennis was the first love and the sport where he found the greatest success also as a brand. Starting with the sponsorship for Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Connors, Vitas Gerulaitis, Roscoe Tanner, Tacchini hit the jackpot with John McEnroe, who won 7 Grand Slam wearing ST.

He became a worldwide sensation when during 1981 Wimbledon insulted the referee telling him that “you cannot be serious”, the title of his autobiography and a Sergio Tacchini advertising campaign. He’d go to win the tournament against Bjorn Borg, sponsored by Fila, avenging the defeat of the previous year. 

Melting the barriers, where the sartorial of the origins meet the bright eighties colours, it's a well known gateway to become relevant again. We’ll see if the collaboration with A$AP Nast will be the first step for Sergio Tacchini to come back as the Italian Lacoste.