Retired tennis ace Mark Philippoussis and his model and author wife Silvana have an eco-friendly fashion line

Australian tennis champion Mark Philippoussis still gets a kick from playing the sport that earned him his nickname – The Scud.

However, he’s now channelling that energy into his clothing brand As We Create – a collection of eco-friendly staples aimed at halting fast fashion and overconsumption. 

Philippoussis, who appeared this year in SAS Australia on Channel 7, says his desire to launch a label with a conscience was years in the making. The father of two, with his wife Silvana, put his name to fashion once before in 2012, while living in the USA, but this project is different.   

“I wanted a product that was made in Melbourne and could stand the test of time. It had to be a quality garment and create local jobs. The project had to tick all the boxes or I wasn’t going to do it,” Philippoussis says. 

He appears in the new campaign alongside Silvana – a model, former face of Melbourne Fashion Week, author and artist. Both are looking chic in a monotone range of black, white and grey that’s gender-neutral. 

“I wanted to solve my own wardrobe problem when coming up with this collection,” Philippoussis says. 

“It’s full of clothes I don’t wear often enough and I always went for the same eight pieces every week. This journey is about creating a range that’s committed to helping the environment, made from premium organic fabrics and with staple pieces you want to wear time and again,” he says.

Relocating to the coastal town of Jan Juc with his family in 2019 was always on the cards for the Philippoussis family. They were certain their eldest child Nicholas, 6, would start school in Australia. They have a daughter Maia who was also born in San Diego.   

“I owned a beach house in Angelsea from the age of 18 to 28, so I know this coastline well,” Philippoussis says. 

“It was always on my radar to buy here again and it made sense as it was quite similar to what we had become used to in San Diego. Running barefoot on the beach is what our son Nicholas had become used to and I love that we can connect directly to the earth every day,” he says. 

Philippoussis met Silvana via a mutual friend in Los Angeles in 2012. She was chasing her career as an actress and he was busy running his tennis academy in LA and launching a T-shirt line, Phlip Apparel.  “I knew she was the one when we met,” Philippoussis says. 

They married in 2013 and marked eight years in August. Moving back to Melbourne meant they could also be closer to Silvana’s family. 

“I don’t want to sound corny, but honestly, Silvana is my perfect other half. I know how lucky I am to be with someone who has great values, is beautiful on the outside and inside. She’s all heart, energy and doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. She has made me stronger and a better person,” Philippoussis says. 

He won Davis Cup titles in 1999 and 2003, made it to the US Open men’s final in 1998 – only to be knocked out by fellow Australian Pat Rafter – and the finals in Wimbeldon in 2003. He looks back on that time with affection.

“My Davis Cup wins are a highlight of my career. Becoming the eighth in the world was amazing, but it was cut short by injury at 29,” Philippoussis says. 

“I still play 12 events a year but it hasn’t been the case the last two years with COVID. For me, the next chapter is what matters most. I am even more excited about where I am now, fully focused on family and where I will go in the future with this business,” he says. 

Philippoussis never shied from talking about his fast-paced life on the sporting circuit, but he’s swapped that for a quieter, coastal one.

He likes to read his favourite book The Alchemist by Paul Coelho several times a year. It’s an international best-selling fable that talks about making the most of one’s journey.  

“I’ve made decisions both right and wrong in life and learned from it,” Philippoussis says. 

“The Alchemist is one of my favourite reads because no matter what people told Santiago (the shepherd boy), it didn’t stop him. Everything that happens does so for a reason. That’s life. It’s beautiful but tough. There is no simple path. It doesn’t come with a user manual. When hardships arise, I’m the sort of person who will make it into a positive.”

When he’s not busy running around with his kids, he likes to listen to podcasts with a focus on motivational and business success stories. 

“I enjoy listening to anything that helps me achieve my goals. If something will put me on the road to where I want to go, then I’m there,” he says. 

Returning to Australia has given him a greater sense of why family matters, and having his children grow up with their grandparents was key. 

“I do miss travelling and playing and would love to do it again,” he says. “But I am grateful for what I have done with travel up to now. I hope our kids will be able to soak up what is out there in the world eventually. Seeing different cultures is essential. We live in a beautiful part of the world but to experience other parts is what makes us, too.” 

aswecreate.com