Arena
About
Arena S.p.A. is a distinguished Italian manufacturer of competitive swimwear, founded in 1973 by Horst Dassler, the son of Adidas founder Adolf Dassler. The inspiration to create high-performance swimwear came to Dassler after witnessing the incredible performance of swimmer Mark Spitz, who won seven gold medals at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.
The company launched its first swimwear line, the "Skinfit," in 1973, made of an ultra-light fabric weighing only 18 grams. The following year, Arena established its first sponsorship agreement with Australian swimmer Shane Gould, a five-time Olympic medalist at Munich, and even released a swimsuit collection in her name.
Recognizing the importance of sponsorship for the success of the brand, Arena went on to sign several other individual athletes for the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Some of the notable athletes sponsored included Mark Spitz, Novella Calligaris, Steve Furniss, David Wilke, Shirley Babashoff, Gary Hall, Klaus Dibiasi, and Ulrika Knape, among others.
Over the years, Arena has introduced innovative products, including the "Flyback" suit in the 1980s, designed with thin straps to create larger shoulder openings. Other remarkable swimsuit introductions include the "AquaRacer" in 1990 and the "X-Flat" in 1997. The brand has continually recruited new talents to its roster of sponsorships, with notable signees like Alexander Popov and Franziska van Almsick.
Arena has also made strategic business moves to expand its brand presence. In 1990, the company was sold to Japanese corporation Descente Ltd., which continues to commercialize its products. The company, headquartered in Tolentino, Italy, has subsidiaries in France and Germany, extending its reach across the globe1. In 2019, Arena further expanded its portfolio by acquiring the global brand rights to the Italian swimwear brand Diana.
Today, Arena stands as a leader in the competitive swimwear industry, renowned for its commitment to quality, innovation, and the spirit of competition.