Lev Tanju

Lev Tanju is a British designer and the founder of the influential skate brand Palace Skateboards. Based in London, Tanju rose to prominence by successfully merging the grit of subcultural skate aesthetics with the refined sensibilities of the luxury fashion market. In 2024, his career reached a significant milestone with his appointment as the creative director of FILA+, a premium sub-label designed to elevate the heritage sportswear giant.

Tanju is credited with redefining the boundaries of streetwear, moving the genre from a niche interest into a central pillar of contemporary luxury. His work at Palace and now FILA+ highlights his unique ability to curate cultural narratives that resonate globally, making him a pivotal figure in the modernisation of heritage athletic brands for a discerning modern audience.

Nostalgia for 1990s British youth culture provides the foundation for a design language that reconciles high-performance utility with lo-fi subcultural signifiers. The work frequently utilises bold archival branding and vibrant colour blocking to subvert traditional sportswear archetypes. There is a deliberate emphasis on 'British irreverence', where casual silhouettes are reimagined through a lens of elevated materiality and precise street-ready construction.

Functional garments are treated with a playful yet analytical approach to branding, often exploring the intersection of authentic athletic performance and the aesthetic requirements of high fashion. This perspective ensures that technical garments remain rooted in their utilitarian origins while achieving a sophisticated, graphic impact. The resulting collections offer a kinetic energy that prioritises the wearer’s movement and social identity over purely decorative concerns.