The brand was founded in 1996 by Kevin Plank, a former special teams captain of the University of Maryland football team, who at the age of 24 realised that his compression shorts when worn during practice stayed dry. This inspired him to create and produce a T-shirt using a specialised moisture wicking synthetic fabric, which gave athletes an undeniable advantage.
Demand for his product quickly grew so that from humble beginnings, Under Armour is today recognised as a global brand that offers a range of footwear, sports and casual apparel.
This success has seen a demand for an increase in store numbers, with the brand expanding into new locations, which include London, Amsterdam, and Liverpool.
The Amsterdam store required an existing double volume retail space to be separated, with Under Armour taking the ground floor, which required a void to be filled in, a lift to be blocked off and the construction of a new staircase to allow access to the upper floor.
The Liverpool store is Under Armour’s first new concept store in UK and requires a complete fit-out including a new M&E system, flooring and a striking double height shopfront. Works are expected to take 12 weeks and are almost complete.
Two further UK store locations that are in development include a 437 sqm site on London’s Oxford Street and a 500 sqm site at the newly opened iconic Battersea Power Station, which will be a striking one-off concept with glass on all four sides. Both of these new stores are due to open in early 2023.
