Dive Brief:
- Under Armour will release Under Armour X Unless, a collection of regenerative sportswear, during Milan Design Week from April 8 to April 10, the activewear brand announced Monday.
- The collection is the first collaboration between Under Armour and Unless, a zero-plastic regenerative fashion brand.
- Priced between $30 to $160, the collection features T-shirts, shorts and hoodies in men’s, women’s and unisex styles. The apparel uses plant-based materials and is “designed to decompose rather than pollute,” according to Under Armour Brand President Eric Liedtke
Dive Insight:
The Under Armour X Unless collection is meant to reimagine the future of product creation, “with an innovative commitment that honors both athletes and the planet," Liedtke said in a statement.
Under Armour is debuting its first collection with Unless after acquiring the brand last summer. As part of the deal, Liedtke, a former Adidas exec who founded Unless in 2020, came on to work with Under Armour. With the new collection, Liedtke is bringing the eco-friendly approach of Unless to its new parent company.
“As a brand that has consistently disrupted the industry, we are prepared to do it again,” Liedtke said. “Our unique and innovative approach represents a significant shift from the traditional production cycle, which often relies heavily on plastics and generates waste.”
Before appointing Liedtke to enhance the company’s brand strategy, Under Armour made another key hire to reshape its brand design. In 2023, the company hired John Varvatos as its chief design officer where he manages the company’s brand design studios in Baltimore, New York and Portland, Oregon. He brings three decades of experience with his own brand and other fashion companies such as Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren.
Under Armour has added new talent to its leadership team as it faces declining sales. The company has been scaling back on promotions as it creates a more premium business. One part of its strategy is improving its relationships with wholesale partners. Last November, CEO Kevin Plank said the company is communicating more with its retail partners and trying to gain more shelf space.
“Without story, you’re just selling shirts and shoes,” Plank said on a call with analysts at the time. “And the world doesn’t need another capable apparel and footwear brand. The world needs hope and that’s what we think Under Armour can be.”
In its most recent earnings, the company reported a 5.7% decline year over year in net revenue. In North America, its largest region, sales fell 7.8% to $844 million. Under Armour said this year it plans to open more wholesale accounts with a focus primarily on boutique retailers.
