Umbro celebrates 100th anniversary with new collection and campaign
British sportswear brand Umbro has launched a Centenary Collection for SS24 in celebration of its 100th anniversary year, along with a fresh campaign that nods to the brand’s origins in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
The collection is inspired by the brand’s rich design history and multi-sports roots with particular emphasis on football.
Combining sports-inspired themes with trend-led silhouettes, the collection reimagines Umbro’s function-first sporting designs "for a new trend-savvy generation" for whom the lines between sportswear and fashion have never been more blurred.
It features a new take on the ‘Ramsay Jacket’ – so called because it was worn by World Cup winning England manager Sir Alf Ramsay in 1966. The new interpretation is a fully reversible piece with one-side featuring a striking monogram matte/shine jacquard and the other side a diamond graphic gradient. The Ramsey stripe is emblazoned across the collar, cuffs and waistband, with the brand’s heritage diamond logo placed on the right of the chest, true to the 1960s original.
The collection also features the’ Anthem Track Jacket, and ‘Anthem Track Pant’ with Umbro’s monogram matte/shine double knit jacquard and a tailored pin-tuck detail "for a sartorial twist". Elsewhere on the jacket, the engineered stripe collar lends a nod to the up-turned style worn by Manchester United legend Eric Cantona in the 1990s.
New football shirts are inspired by kits of the late 1970s and early 1980s, and there’s Umbro’s new interpretation of a ‘Cabana Set’, first offered by the brand in the 1960s. Defined by its sleek proportions, both the short-sleeve shirt and swim short are emblazoned with Umbro’s signature diamond gradient print.
Helene Hope, Head of Global Brand Marketing at Umbro, said: "The spirit of Manchester is ingrained in Umbro’s DNA. Since Umbro’s inception, the city and the brand have been intrinsically linked to one another.
"Like Manchester, and particularly the Northern Quarter, Umbro has always looked to push forward, innovate, and unite. This campaign is our love letter to the place we call home and we’re excited to celebrate our 100th birthday in this iconic city."
Since being founded in 1924, Umbro has often redefined the sportswear landscape with partnerships with professional and grass roots football and rugby teams, as well unexpected collaborations with brands including Aries, Palace and Supreme.
