Arena (swimwear)
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Arena is a brand of competitive swimwear created in 1973 at Adidas France, by its president Horst Dassler. Sold by Adidas in 1990, the brand now represents two unrelated product lines.
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[edit] Arena in Europe
After Adidas and Sarragan in France, the brand has changed hands among 3 German and Italian investment houses[1]. The holding's products are most popular in Europe, though offered internationally, except the Far East.
The company markets a high-technology line of swimwear using their Powerskin fabric, which is said to be less absorbent of moisture and reduce drag due to its second-skin compression fit.
Alexander Popov, Frédérick Bousquet, Laure Manaudou and Gary Hall Jr. are among well-known swimmers seen competing in Arena swim suits.
Arena also makes specialty swimwear for triathlon and water polo.
[edit] Arena by Descente
Descente, a Japanese maker of sporting apparel, owns the Arena trademark in Southeast Asia and has been putting it on its swimwear since 1976[2]. Today, Arena is a top domestic brand of performance swimwear in Japan.
Arena by Descente shares no design or technological heritage with the products of (European) Arena. Hence there are essentially two distinct brands using the Arena name and logo, and they have existed almost equally long.
[edit] Production offshoring
Arena's swimwear was made in France until April 2007, when its factory at Libourne (near Bordeaux) closed, with over 160 lay-offs. Arena is now made in China.
Arena by Descente is also largely made in China, although, as of 2008, some models are still labeled as made in Japan.
