Under Armour became a force in the apparel industry by producing workout gear, jerseys and sneakers while signing endorsement deals with some of the world's most prominent athletes, including Tom Brady, Stephen Curry, Michael Phelps, Cam Newton, Bryce Harper and Lindsey Vonn. Then it expanded its focus to lifestyle fashion by partnering with Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson, ballet star Misty Copeland and supermodel Gisele Bundchen.
Now the company has taken an even deeper plunge into high-end style with its new Under Armour Sportswear line, which it unveiled at New York Fashion Week.
Under Armour tapped Belgian designer Tim Coppens, who has his own label, to create the first UAS collection.
"The collection, which ranges in price from $59 for lifestyle layering pieces called Prime to $1,500 for a camo wool trench coat, includes everything from quilted bomber jackets to wedge boots," Baltimore Sun reporter John-John Williams IV wrote. "The palette for the pieces was mostly navy, tan, army green, white and maroon, with the occasional splash of orange."
Here is a sampling:
Under Armour Unveils Sportswear Line
Under Armour Sportswear
"Under Armour's leap into fashion-casual clothing follows in the footsteps of Adidas and Puma, which have made big splashes at New York Fashion Week in recent years with Kanye West and Rihanna, respectively," wrote Ray A. Smith and Sara Germano of the Wall Street Journal.
Under Armour Sportswear
"Under Armour isn't the only brand trying to look at what's next after 'athleisure,'" John Kell of Fortune wrote. "Lululemon has a testing lab where its designers are thinking less about athletic pursuits and more about life in the city."
Under Armour Sportswear
"The clothes were wild, nothing like the typical 'athleisure' looks that have sent sporty clothes into casual wardrobes," wrote Kim Bhasin and Matthew Townsend of Bloomberg.
Under Armour Sportswear
"If Under Armour is selling basic wear at a discount store like Kohl's, some analysts have already been questioning how Under Armour will then be able to sell this much higher-priced fashion line without diluting the brand image at both ends," Seth McNew of Motley Fool wrote.
Under Armour Sportswear
"Under Armour Inc.'s new collection, UAS, is a departure from the company's athleisure roots, which might not be for everyone," MarketWatch reporter Tonya Garcia wrote. "And that's a good thing."
Under Armour Sportswear
"Under Armour's goal for UAS is to extend their product offering from the court and the field to the sidewalk, the workplace, and the wardrobes of people they call well-dressed 'professional millennials,'" Steve Dool of Complex wrote.
Under Armour Sportswear
"Although the clothes look pretty cool -- that is if one likes to dress as a hip 30-something that is on the go in an urban area -- they do encompass some hallmarks of Under Armour apparel such as stretch technology," Brian Sozzi of TheStreet.com wrote.
Under Armour Sportswear
"Coppens's mission for UAS was to find a balance between sporty, casual, and cool with the details the brand's demographic -- namely professional men in their mid-twenties -- are looking for," Emily Farra of Vogue wrote.
Under Armour Sportswear
"It aspires to reflect the Ralph Lauren Corp or 'Ivy League' style in some ways," Alessandro Bruno of Profit Confidential wrote. "Under Armour has gone back to the roots of American style. Therein is the key to its success in markets where the very concept of America itself is an aspiration, such as China."
