How Sergio Tacchini is reclaiming it’s place as the ultimate luxury sportswear brand In a scene from the 2002 movie “Paid In Full” Mitch, played by Mekhi Phifer, sits in a cherry red BMW M3. Dressed in a colourblocked @sergiotacchini polo shirt, gold chain and Rolex watch, he is the epitome of the real life hustler, Rich Porter who he portrays in the film. The choice of the Italian sportswear label, and the many velour tracksuits that also feature throughout, faithfully depict the uniforms worn by crack era dealers in the ‘80s. At the time, East coast inner-city youth-from the Bronx, Harlem, and Queens boroughs, all the way down to Washington DC looked to local street hustlers like Porter who flexed their wealth through gear. Luxury brands and high-end sportswear from Italy became a symbol of status and bragging rights. Naturally, Sergio Tacchini became a crack-era classic. It was the uniforms of these new jacks that inspired the style of the emerging hip-hop mc’s at the time. Rappers like Rakim, Eric B, LL Cool J and later Nas and The Notorious B.I.G. were dripped head-to-toe in Sergio Tacchini, while Kanye, Jay Z, Pusha T, and countless others laced their alliance to the brand throughout their lyrics. Paid In Full isn’t the only film to cement Sergio Tacchini’s place in street culture. Mathieu Kassovitz’s 1995 film, La Haine, is another great example of how it’s premium tracksuit have manifested in pop culture. The timeless uniform of Saïd Taghmaoui’s tracksuit is precisely the anti-luxury luxury that continues to be obsessed over in menswear today. In fact, Taghmaoui became the muse for Yardsale’s recent collaboration with Sergio Tacchini, which included throwback style sweatsuits as seen in the film. A$AP Nast also drew on this rich cultural history as part of his 2021 collab with the brand. Today, the brand continues to honour both its legacy on and off court. From the color-blocked crinkle nylon sets that nod to the fits embraced by hip hop's golden age and the reedition of the BB Court Lo sneaker which channels Italian modernist design, Sergio Tacchini is regaining its place as the ultimate luxury sportswear brand for youth once again.