08.21.2018

UNDER ARMOUR CELEBRATES ITS DIY ROOTS BY EMPOWERING "PIONEERS"

In 1996, Under Armour was launched with an entrepreneurial drive to reinvent how athletes perform. Today, Under Armour is tapping back into that DIY spirit to launch its new UA Sportstyle category through collaboration with a global team of “Pioneers” who represent that drive for the next generation.

 

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UA Sportstyle Pioneers, ranging from football World Champion, Malcolm Jenkins, to Japanese youth collective, Tokyo Vitamin, will lead a series of forums to empower their communities. From live shows and master classes, to pop-ups and on-field workshops, the philosophy of every Pioneer project remains the same – celebrating the incredible things that a DIY spirit can achieve in the hands of the people creating in their own communities. To learn more and sign up for a UA Forge Forum in your city, check out UAForgeForums.com.

 

PHILADELPHIA: Under Armour football athlete Malcolm Jenkins is a two-time World Champion and current team captain for Philadelphia. Last year’s victory marked the second time he has helped a team secure their first World Championship in franchise history. While a master of his game on field, Malcolm represents more as a voice in the community and catalyst for change.

 

Malcolm Jenkins, two-time football World Champion & current team captain for Philadelphia

With UA Sportstyle, he’ll relay his message of what it means to be more than athlete in today’s climate and how to play the game differently at an upcoming private event with a youth football team.

 

TOKYO: The seven strong Tokyo Vitamin crew, founded by Vick Okada, is a new generation record label and arts collective driven by community and the power of pure hustle. With UA Sportstyle, Tokyo Vitamin are reimagining some elements of a traditional Matsuri festival in collaboration with visual, collage and video artists such as Kei Saito, Yuji Kamiyama, Jeron Braxton and Jun Inagawa.

 

HONG KONG: Hong Kong-based Arthur Yeti of Yeti Out, will support young and aspiring musicians with limited opportunity for sports and nightlife culture. Through VOLUME, an activation by Yeti Out and UA Sportstyle, these issues will be explored through a live radio show with skate legend, Brian Siswijo of 852 store, DJ and Boxer, Fergus Heathcoate and James Yao, of XXX gallery.

 

SEOUL: Founded by brothers Terrence and Kevin Kim, Seoul based fashion label IISE is committed to building collaboration with Seoul’s creative communities. The IISE team with UA Sportstyle will host an event smashing cultural inhibitions to the backdrop of music, traditional food and sports with guests from all different creative backgrounds active in the local scene.

 

Terrance and Kevin Kim of Seoul-based fashion table IISE

Terrance and Kevin Kim of Seoul-based fashion table IISE

Hong Kong-based Arthur Yeti of Yeti Out

Hong Kong-based Arthur Yeti of Yeti Out

The Tokyo Vitamin Crew, a new generation record label & arts collective

The Tokyo Vitamin Crew, a new generation record label & arts collective

AMSTERDAM: Creator of the new ØLÅF CITIZENS platform, designer Olaf Hussein has made great strides in his home city of Amsterdam by exploring the cultural interplay of different citizens from all across the globe. The ØLÅF CITIZENS x Under Armour Draft Day focuses on coaching the young design community and creating a space for entrepreneurs to share their stories on art, music, brand building and fashion. Guests to include Rens van Strien, known for combining his love of global football with fashion, art collector Christiaan Luiten and book publisher Gunifort Uwambaga.

 

LONDON: Since founding the EJDER label several years back, Simon Suphandagli has used his formative years in martial arts and youth work to create a staunchly disciplined anti-establishment directive that connects with the youth while fostering a spirit of community. In a short period, he has worked with groups including A$AP Mob, Places+Faces, 3Paradise and Midnight Studios, cementing his brand’s place as a leading voice in London’s new streetwear movement. The EJDER OPEN FORUM with Under Armour is a curated convention featuring the new conductors of the creative community - 3D artist Catherine Taylor, fashion designer Eastwood Danso and object maker, Jobe Burns.

 

BERLIN: Ghanaian-German rapper’s Serious Klein phenomenal rise is down to pure hard work. Fiercely independent from record labels, his unique fusion of soul, jazz, gospel and rap embodies his cultural influences and mixed identity. THE KLEIN EXPERIENCE with Under Armour is a multimedia experience, including a short film screening of his trip to Ghana which inspired his album, an exclusive performance from Seri, a masterclass on music insights and a power session with a personal trainer – all based on his strong belief around the power of performance to change lives.

 

The Pioneer project will also see the UA Sportstyle Pioneers collaborating with Boiler Room’s Low Heat-style series to create live events in four cities around the world – Tokyo, Hong Kong, Berlin, and London, the city where Boiler Room first made its name. Each event recreates the DIY aesthetic of the Boiler Room’s early days with a rugged, spontaneous ethos that encapsulates the spirit of the Pioneers.

 

The Pioneer Forums will introduce the world to UA Sportstyle, a new category adapting Under Armour’s athletic legacy into a new line of apparel and footwear at the intersection of performance and style. The project kicks off with a film that follows three Under Armour Pioneers in Seoul, London and Tokyo. 

 

UA Sportstyle will be led by a new pinnacle shoe, the UA Forge 96, releasing globally on August 31 for $120 USD.

 

Designer Olaf Hussein, leading young artists and designers across Amsterdam

Designer Olaf Hussein, leading young artists and designers across Amsterdam

Simon Suphandagli, driving music and apparel design in London

Simon Suphandagli, driving music and apparel design in London

Berlin's Serious Klein fuses jazz, gospel, soul and rap to give his music its own identity

Berlin's Serious Klein fuses jazz, gospel, soul and rap to give his music its own identity