Umbro launches centenary campaign and collection

British sports brand Umbro “lights the fuse” on its centenary celebrations with a fresh global campaign and a retro-inspired collection for SS24.

First the Centenary Collection takes its inspiration from the brand’s 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”. 

The collection includes a revisionist take on an Umbro classic, the Reversible Ramsey Jacket, reinterpreted into a fully reversible piece with one-side featuring a monogram matte/shine jacquard and the other-side a diamond graphic gradient. The Ramsey stripe is emblazoned across the bomber collar, cuffs, and waistband, with the brand’s heritage-inspo ‘filled-in’ diamond placed on the right of the chest, true to its 1960s original. 

Then there’s the Anthem Track Jacket and Track Pant feature Umbro’s monogram matte/shine double knit jacquard and a tailored pin-tuck detail. Elsewhere on the jacket, the engineered stripe collar lends a nod to the up-turned style worn by a striker at one of Manchester’s leading teams in the 1990s. 

Footfall shirts are inspired by kits of the late 1970s and early 1980s, with Umbro introducing a range which provide “a street-savvy take on a style which has long become a wardrobe classic”. 

Finally, there’s Umbro’s SS24 interpretation of the Cabana Set, first offered by the brand in the 1960s, it’s described as “the perfect packaway for high-summer escapades”. Both the short-sleeve shirt and swim short are emblazoned with Umbro’s signature all-over diamond gradient print. 

Defined by its historic relationship with Manchester’s Northern Quarter, known in the 19th Century as Cottonopolis, the supporting ‘Centenary’ campaign “delivers a love-letter to Umbro’s hometown.

Celebrating the relationship between the brand and city, the campaign “paints a poignant portrait of an area defined by innovation, constant renewal and cultural relevance”.

“The spirit of Manchester is ingrained in Umbro’s DNA”, said Helene Hope, Head of Global Brand Marketing. 

“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.”