by Chris O’Leary/@olearychris
There’s a great article in the Baltimore Sun on Under Armour’s progress in the sports apparel world that’s more than worth a read.
For those of you who’d rather trust my Cliff’s Notes version of a business profile, read on. As Under Armour has morphed from simply a sleeveless tee supplier to football players into an actual sports industry heavyweight, the brand has realized it needs to consider fashion in its growth if it wants to get to that next level.
From the B-More Sun:
“The thing with fashion is that it is a slippery slope,” Burch said. “What is in fashion one day may not be the next day. Under Armour has done such a good job of building performance credibility they can now step out of the box a little bit and express themselves with a strong fashion sensibility.”
Under Armour officials said the growing focus on fashion is part of the company’s strategy to stay ahead of the competition. They emphasize that performance is still their No. 1 goal.
The company, which once declared cotton its enemy, introduced its first cotton T-shirt this year. Under Armour says the shirt has the same moisture-wicking capabilities of its original line. The company is also testing a new device, the E39, which measures the athlete’s heart rate, speed and other vital signs as he or she works out.”
“Ultimately, we will never compromise the performance aspect of what we offer,” said Noreen Naroo-Pucci, senior creative director of women’s and youth apparel at the company.
Pic via the Baltimore Sun. Fist-pound to CK for finding the story.
