The Westminster Menswear Archive, associated with the University of Westminster, is presenting an exhibition that charts a century of British sportswear and its global impact on fashion. This April, the focus is on Umbro, a Manchester-based brand celebrating its 100th anniversary, recognizing its role in transitioning sportswear from purely functional athletic wear to a staple in global daily attire.
The exhibition highlights Umbro’s pioneering collaboration with Paul Smith in 2002, initiating the trend of sportswear brands partnering with fashion designers. Since then, Umbro has collaborated with over 60 internationally acclaimed designers and brands, including Kim Jones, Virgil Abloh, and Supreme. The exhibition, which features more than 120 Umbro items from the Archive’s collection, examines the evolving relationship between sportswear and fashion over the last century.
Organized into five categories – Manchester, England, Tailored, Replica, and Diamond – the exhibition showcases Umbro’s significant designs in collaboration with various designers.
Anthony Little, Global Managing Director of Umbro, commented on the exhibition’s role in highlighting Umbro’s contributions to fashion trends. Professor Andrew Groves, Co-Curator, emphasized Umbro’s leading role in sportswear-fashion collaborations, particularly noting the groundbreaking collaboration with Paul Smith in 2002, which was among the first to produce a full collection between a sportswear brand and a designer.
Key features of the exhibition include collaborations with British and international designers, a focus on Aitor Throup’s Archive Research Project from 2011, and a display of historical sportswear and football shirts from Umbro, showcasing its evolution and impact from 1936 to the present.
