Under Armour just made a big splash with its latest announcement. The sportswear brand has brought on designer Tim Coppens to be the executive creative director for its new brand Under Armour Sportswear.
The Belgian-born designer will helm the new fashion-driven performance wear, which is set to drop this fall. The new men's and women's label is essentially the sportswear brand doing a new take on athleisure. It will combine the comfort of casual active wear and the functionality of innovative athletic wear all while reflecting Coppens’ pristine style and aesthetic direction.
"There is a desire for something new; a new twist on an American sportswear brand that allows the ambitious generation to go longer, faster and harder with intuitive product and a modern style," said Coppens in a press release. "Under Armour is in a unique position to take on the task of defining this space with an authentic east coast sports and innovation brand footprint that is armed to enter the lifestyle market."
This isn't the first time Coppens has worked with sportswear either. The award-winning designer, known for his innovative fabrics and unique construction, previously worked at adidas and RLX, the athletic branch of Ralph Lauren. He has continued to use his experience with activewear to influence his current collections.
Coppens' experience makes him an exciting addition to a sportswear brand on the rise. Under Armour has been slowly stealing food off the plates of Nike and adidas and building market share. A lot of that is thanks to the success that the company has had with back-to-back MVP Steph Curry. However, it's encouraging to see Under Armour taking that success and building on it.
Coppens should make Under Armour an instant contender in the crowded fashion and sportswear bubble that has been crowded by adidas' multiple celebrity and designer collaborations. Not to mention Nike's high-profile collections with Balmain's Olivier Rousteing and Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci. However, Coppens is an extremely talented designer whose namesake brand is a favorite among menswear enthusiast. It would be huge if the designer can carry over that same excitement to whatever he has in store with Under Armour.
"I am thrilled to be working with Tim. I knew he was the right creative director for UAS because of his unique experience working with both performance brands and true, high-fashion labels,” said Senior Vice President of Sportswear at Under Armour, Ben Pruess in the release. "His understanding of both worlds and ability to craft a creative expression to capture this is truly remarkable."
In addition to Coppens, Under Armour has also struck recent record-breaking deals with UCLA and baseball superstar Bryce Harper.
While Coppens might be lesser known than Rihanna, who Puma brought on as its creative director, there's no doubt that he is the right man for the job. Since launching his namesake brand in 2011, he has been a pioneer of luxury sportswear, and will certainly attract the fashion-driven crowd to Under Armour. We can't wait to see what he has in store.
