FIELDREPORT
Over Armour
A determination to innovate has helped make Under Armour one of the fastest-rising brands in sport. Richard Palmer-Jones, owner of the brand’s UK master agent for golf, explains the brand’s ethos and how it shines though in their latest outerwear.
York looking for a pair of ladies’ tights. “Under Armour really began when its founder,
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Kevin Plank, got fed up with his white cotton shirt getting soaked with sweat every time he played,” says Richard Palmer-Jones, owner of the brand’s UK master agent PJH Brand management. “He was convinced there was something better. He found the material he wanted in a New York hosiery market. He got someone to teach him how to sew a garment, and basically produced a compression tee shirt that moved moisture. “Today, everyone has moisture-wicking
technology in their lines, and the benefits of compression in sport – heightened proprioception, stronger and more repeatable movements, reduced muscle oscillation – are established. And from that one simple garment the brand now makes pretty much everything, including the likes of hunting, shooting and fishing and of course golf. And Kevin is still running the business.” Palmer-Jones is convinced it is this spirit of
innovation that has underpinned the impressive rise of Under Armour. Founded just 19 years ago, the brand generated some $3.9 billion last year and has recorded no fewer than 20 quarters of 20% growth. Its aim as a global concern is to reach $10 billion by 2020. Under Armour got into golf in 2005, bravely
taking on the likes of Nike and adidas with a smallish range of performance-inspired garments. But their 2006 introduction of the baselayer into golf, in the form of the ColdGear Mock, really put them on the map. Its impact is summed up by market share stats that suggest
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ot many people realise that one of golf’s fastest growing companies began with an American footballer combing New
more than half of golfers now own a baselayer. The Mock was swiſtly joined by the
impressive ColdGear trouser, a highly technical weatherproof garment that offered an effective one-layer winter option. But while growth was steady and the brand played its part in moving performance fabrics into the mainstream, Under Armour remained a little under the radar – until signing Jordan Spieth up on the same day Nike announced its mega deal with Rory McIlroy, in January 2013. Their presence in the game has risen with his.
bears fruit in all the activities Under Armour covers, and has helped us bring something new to the golf market every six months. This desire to innovate inspires us to grow as a brand and seems to inspire people to buy our product.” The recent SS15 polo shirt lines exhibit three
such technologies that show the brand’s approach. HeatGear fabric pulls together moisture wicking, full-stretch, odour control and easy care elements; ColdBlack reflects the UV rays which heat the fabric up, giving health benefits and making the UV absorbing darker hues feel cooler; and ArmourVent sees ventilation holes knitted into the fabric to maintain its integrity and reduce the fraying that crops up when holes are simply punched through. But the latest innovation is found in the new
outerwear products, launched for this winter and already mostly sold in. The new garments centre on Under Armour’s Storm line, which has been around for about five years offering everything from hoodies to full rain suits. But this rather chaotic product line has now been pulled into order. “We are basically offering three levels of
“Our focus has always been on bringing
something new to the market continually,” Palmer Jones continues. “At Under Armour’s global HQ in Baltimore there is a series of James Bond-like innovation laboratories, which house a small army of people whose job it is to think about the future – new technologies, new materials, new ways of looking at things. That
waterproofing, with clothing falling into either Storm 1, Storm 2 and Storm 3 categories,” Palmer- Jones explains. “Storm 1 would offer water repellency. That grey quarter-zip top we saw Spieth wearing at St Andrews would be a good example. It offers increased functionality on a standard garment, with breathability, and a level of shower resistance. But it’s not a garment for driving rain. It retails from £50. “Storm 2 offers increased water repellancy and a wind proof membrane. It’s a very functional garment that protects from wind chill, though it’s not seam sealed. The Elemental
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