Umbro by Kim Jones

Kim Jones – Umbro designer.

Umbro is not a brand that scores big on style. When people think Umbro, they usually think soccer. Or at least this was true before Umbro decided to start a winning collaboration with British designer Kim Jones also known as the king of modernist casual wear. Umbro by Kim Jones is a highly stylish casual line that puts forward outstanding apparel and gorgeous sneakers and trainers. The line’s off-the-field design made Umbro a cooler brand and earned Kim Jones many celebrity fans and praises from fashion supporters worldwide.

Umbro’s history is rich and full of old trophies. It was founded by Harold Humphreys in 1924 in Wilmslow, England. Harold was still in his teens when he delivered his first sportswear order with a handcart. But within ten years, Umbro was dressing Manchester City and Portsmouth for the 1934 FA Cup final at Wembley.  By 1966, 85% of all British clubs wore Umbro. In 1985, the company launched with great success its first soccer boot into the Brazilian market and thus started the first Umbro footwear line. Today Umbro is a major player in the world of sportswear apparel, competing with Adidas, Lotto, Puma and Reebok.

Kim Jones, on the other hand, is a designer who has built his reputation by creating street-savvy casual wear with a highly refined design. Alongside his own line, Kim designs and directs for a long list of clothing companies, including Dunhill. He has also been art director and stylist for fashion magazines such as Dazed and Confused, Numero Homme, Another magazine, Ten + and the New York Times. The Face magazine cited him as the 20th most influential person in the fashion industry.

Woven leather high top from Umbro by Kim Jones 2009 Collection.

The British designer confessed that at first, he didn’t want to collaborate with Umbro: “I ummed and ahhed over the Umbro deal. I didn’t think it was a good brand at the time – it was really chavvy. But I thought if I could do a good job with it I would be worth more to people.” Colin Henry, Umbro’s senior vice president of global product development and marketing, recognized the impact Kim had on Umbro’s brand image: “I wouldn’t want to underestimate Kim’s influence on giving Umbro a cool image. He has a unique ability to capture the zeitgeist. We saw him mature during the time he spent with us and there was always a threat he would be snapped up like Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen. He is taking his rightful place.”

Umbro by Kim Jones line had and still has a great appeal on the Asian market, especially in Japan and Korea. But the line’s terrace-friendly chic style has also created a crowd of loyal menswear buyers in the UK and Europe. Umbro by Kim Jones puts forward a tailored athletic inspired apparel and sneaker collection with a spin on classic British streetwear by incorporating Umbro’s traditional tailoring and modern fabrics. You don’t have to be a football fan to like Umbro by Kim Jones. The high aesthetics and subtle design looks great on everyone.