In its new promotional video on Instagram, Under Armour leans heavily into the hometown angle.
“I’m from Baltimore, of course we’re gonna treat Under Armour like it’s designer,” says comedian and Baltimore native Vontee. That statement has never been more true now that the city’s favorite sportswear brand and popular Spanish designer line Balenciaga have announced their collaboration.
Under Armour is essential to fashion in Baltimore, and these new clothes promise to be eye-catching, if not exactly practical. And the internet had a lot to say about several of the products, including zip-ups, gloves, sneakers and a belt that were showcased at Balenciaga’s recent runway show in Shanghai for the Spring ‘25 collection.
This joint venture comes as both companies attempt to rebound from down periods. Under Armour founder Kevin Plank returned to his previous role of chief executive officer in April to focus on “driving revenue growth” amid declining sales.
Balenciaga has faced controversy of its own surrounding an ad campaign from November 2022 that showed children holding teddy bears in BDSM accessories. They were faced with immediate backlash as #CancelBalenciaga trended across social media and the brand was accused of condoning pedophilia.
Will this collaboration help both brands? Are people excited about the items? Who can afford this? We have many questions.
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How did it come together?
“Balenciaga sought Under Armour out for the brand’s history of innovation, with a goal of combining our different areas of expertise to create something truly unique for their SS25 collection,” according to Amanda Coffee, Under Armour’s senior director of global media relations. “The hope is that by combining Under Armour’s expertise in performance and innovation with Balenciaga’s high fashion sensibility, we can introduce, or reintroduce, UA to a new consumer, showcasing our expertise in Sportswear and reinforcing our premium offering.”
Who is the target audience?
From the looks of it, Under Armour supporters with large amounts of money to spend. The pieces look fairly close to traditional UA releases, but much baggier. The prices, though, are significantly higher for this collection. And while this line isn’t specifically for the Baltimore and DMV area, you can bet the (richer) natives will definitely be wearing it. To spot the designer clothes in the wild, just look for the classic Under Armour logo with Balenciaga written underneath.
Exactly how much is it?
A select few pieces are already available to purchase and are “normally” priced for a designer collection. But for regular people, $150 should normally land you several packs of Under Armour socks, not just a singular regular pair that say Balenciaga on the the part you can’t see. And that is the cheapest item currently available. The collaboration also features oversized tees ($795), baggy sweatpants ($1,290), zip-up hoodies ($1,450), large shorts ($1,150) and a baseball cap ($475).
Where and when can you purchase the items?
The full collection, including the items seen on the runway show, will be available for purchase this fall. The items will be sold exclusively by Balenciaga, meaning you can find them online, in boutiques and in high-end department stores with Balenciaga shops. Under Armour will not sell any of the products from its own site and stores.
How are people reacting to the collaboration?
The online reaction has been mixed, to say the least.
Most of the negative views seem to stem from the collection’s actual design. Some think Balenciaga took advantage of UA’s broad appeal. One user on X said the company “literally just slapped their name” on stuff you could find at an Under Armour outlet.
Another reiterated that sentiment, tweeting: “The fact they can take an under armour product and slap balenciaga on it and charge those amounts is insane.”
As with many fashion trends, though, opinions tend to change over time. Since the full collection is several months away from being released, we’re willing to bank on seeing a lot of these items worn around the city.
Plus, there are plenty who already seem excited about the team-up. “Imma need that Balenciaga X Under Armour tracksuit,” one wrote.
This article has been updated to clarify where Balenciaga’s items with Under Armour will be available for purchase.
