Models speed walked in a circle around a cage of wire-hung pieces — and in under two minutes a new sportswear brand was born. Others could learn a lot about how to do a fashion show from Under Armour’s fabulous presentation for the launch of UAS, its new collaboration for fall 2016 with designer Tim Coppens. There was a detailed line sheet, of course, in case you missed anything.
“This is the starting point, not the finish line,” said Ben Pruess, senior vice president of sportswear, who oversees the line. “We have lots more to do.”
Predictably, Coppens mined Under Armour’s expertise in technical performance — but fused it with fashion elements that took both the men’s and women’s collections into the sportswear realm. For women, there were down-filled (but never bulky) blazers, parkas and bombers, as well as varsity jackets and great-looking cropped trenchcoats. These were teamed and layered with tailored track pants, hockey shorts, hooded sweatshirts, and even a rugby-stripe stretch skirt. Despite all the elements, everything had an easy, lean effect.
For men, key looks included puffer vests, rugby-stripe pants and lightweight trenchcoats — with the trench done in a windowpane pattern with reflective strips, the quilted vest easily doubling as a blazer and rugby pants featuring articulated seams.
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“There’s a fluidity that speaks to the athletic element of the line,” said Coppens. “But there are also more suited pieces, such as track jackets and pants that are tailored.”
For Under Armour chief executive officer Kevin Plank, that’s exactly the point. “There are a lot of people who don’t wear Under Armour who should,” he said. “And for people who want to wear it to the office, there needed to be a better alternative.”
So bringing Pruess, a former professional snowboarder who had worked for Adidas Originals and Solomon, on board as the “architect” three years ago allowed the brand to finally expand beyond activewear, Plank said.
Presented in a raw space at Manhattan’s South Street Seaport that Pruess said “embraced the humble beginning of Under Armour,” the merchandise was offered for sale on a distinct UAS web site immediately following the show. The collection is also being sold at Barneys New York, Mr Porter and Under Armour flagship stores.
Titled UAS Collection 01 by Tim Coppens, the launch is just the beginning of something Under Armour hopes will be even bigger in the future. “This was two years in the making,” Plank said. “But it’s a long-term conversation and this is just our first handshake.”