The unexpected collaboration between Under Armour and Balenciaga

Through a post published on its Instagram profile, Balenciaga announced an unexpected collaboration with Under Armour: it will be part of the Spring 25 collection that will be presented at the fashion show scheduled in Shanghai. For now, the only revealed item is a pair of earrings featuring the Under Armour Arch Logo formed by the brand's initials. However, it is very likely that this is just a teaser to anticipate the presentation of many other items. Under Armour is a sportswear brand that has never produced fashion-oriented items like earrings, so it seems that Balenciaga wanted to make its mark right from the start. The fact that Balenciaga has chosen to associate with Under Armour is considered a somewhat peculiar choice, especially considering that the latest brands Demna Gvasalia has chosen to link with are Erewhon (the luxury supermarket that has become a real myth in the United States), Fortnite, and The Simpsons. This collaboration with Under Armour is comparable to the one with Alpinestars, which caused less of a stir since, in previous years, Balenciaga had already focused on motorsport aesthetics, leaving the running domain unexplored.

For Balenciaga, collaborating with Under Armour could carry significantly broader meanings. It could be seen almost as a response to the new approach of brands like Loewe towards running - just think of the recent collaboration with On. On the other hand, for Under Armour, the association with Balenciaga could be very valuable: the brand has rarely attempted a fashion approach, but this collab has the potential to establish itself as the first chapter of a new path. Football has paved the way, demonstrating that everything born in the context of sportswear can become fashion, appealing to a broad and novelty-ready audience. Thus, many other sportswear brands have started to push their boundaries, like running, trail running, and even cycling, replicating what tennis has done throughout its history. We can only wait for the new items from the collaboration between Under Armour and Balenciaga, certain that the logomania of the brand led by Gvasalia will not be able to do without logomania in this case as well.