Under Armour appoints John Varvatos as chief design officer

Under Armour announced the appointment of John Varvatos to the role of chief design officer, effective 11th September 2023.

According to a news statement, the veteran of the fashion industry began consulting for the American sportswear giant earlier this year and “brings his deep expertise in style and form to the company.”

Varvatos will be in charge of the company’s creative design direction and the design studios in Portland, Baltimore, and New York.

“I am so excited to join Under Armour, an iconic American brand,” said Varvatos.

Varvatos brings decades of fashion experience to his new position at Under Armour, having previously worked with companies including Polo Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Converse, and his own name-brand, John Varvatos. During his fifteen-year partnership with the John Varvatos brand, he is recognised for developing the laceless sneaker for Converse and the boxer brief for Calvin Klein.

“We are thrilled to welcome John into the Under Armour family” said Stephanie Linnartz, Under Armour president and chief executive officer.

The hiring of Varvatos coincides with Under Armour’s efforts to revitalise the company in light of recent sales declines. The company’s most recent quarterly sales, which was reported in August, decreased by 2.4 per cent to US $ 1.32 billion, slightly exceeding analysts’ estimates of US $ 1.30 billion.

Similar to its competitors, Under Armour’s biggest market, North America, has suffered a decline in product demand; however, this has been partially offset by a strong recovery in China. Asia-Pacific sales for the corporation increased 14.5 per cent during the quarter, while North American revenue decreased 9.1 per cent.