Under Armour names John Varvatos chief design officer

Sportswear giant Under Armour has announced the appointment of John Varvatos to the position of chief design officer, effective September 11.

Varvatos, who will also be joining the brand’s board of directors, has already been consulting Under Armour since spring, but will now be stepping in to oversee the design direction across the company’s portfolio of apparel, footwear and accessories.

He will also be responsible for leading the brand’s design studios in Baltimore, New York and Portland, Oregon.

In an interview with WWD, which initially broke the news of Varvatos’ appointment, the designer said that this new role came following a meeting with Under Armour founder Kevin Plank.

Prior to taking on the position, Varvatos told the media outlet that he had previously worked with Under Armour on projects such as designing a premium golf collection, as well as items in other product categories.

Varvatos has established himself as a leading designer in both men’s and womenswear, having previously worked at the likes of Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, where he held positions such as head of menswear design.

In addition to this, he also launched his own eponymous brand which was taken over three years ago by Lion/Hendrix Cayman after John Varvatos Enterprises filed for bankruptcy in 2020.

At Under Armour, however, Varvatos’ first product is set to arrive next summer, with much of the work under this new title to come in autumn 2024.

In a statement to WWD, CEO Stephanie Linnartz said: “We are thrilled to welcome John into the Under Armour family.

“His track record and 30-year career speaks for itself. John will work in partnership with our product team to bring apparel, footwear and accessories from concept to commercialisation, blending performance and style.”