Under Armour secures John Varvatos as Chief Design Officer

Sportswear giant Under Armour has announced the appointment of fashion industry veteran, John Varvatos, as Chief Design Officer, effective 11 September.

Varvatos started consulting for Under Armour earlier this year, allowing for an easy transition into his new role. Starting next week, Varvatos will lead the creative design direction of the company and oversee the design studios in New York, Baltimore and Portland, Oregon.

On his appointment, John Varvatos said: "I am so excited to join Under Armour, an iconic American brand.

"The innovation, design and mission of the brand has never been more relevant as consumers demand clothes that function for both sport and everyday activities. I cannot wait to unveil that next chapter in Under Armour’s incredible story."

He comes into this role with decades of experience in the fashion industry. Over the years, Varvatos has helped to grow a slew of iconic brands including Polo Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Converse and, of course, his namesake brand.

His deep understanding of design lead him to create not only the boxer brief at Calvin Klein but also the laceless sneaker for Converse.

Stephanie Linnartz, Under Armour President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: "We are thrilled to welcome John into the Under Armour family.

"His track record and thirty year career speaks for itself. John will work in partnership with our product team to bring apparel, footwear and accessories from concept to commercialization, blending performance and style."

This appointment hopes to boost the company's appeal after it revealed flatlining revenues last month. Reported revenues were down by just 2% to £1 billion ($1.3 billion).

Wholesale revenue decreased by 6% to £581 million ($742 million). However, direct-to-consumer revenue increased by 4% to £426 million ($544 million) thanks to an increase in e-commerce revenue.