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100 Years of Football: Unraveling the Unchanging Tradition & Innovative Functionality of "UMBRO"
There's a sports brand deeply loved by football enthusiasts. Its distinctive logo, featuring two overlapping diamonds, is often seen emblazoned on uniforms and enamel bags.
Yes, that would be the UK-based football brand "UMBRO," which has a rich 100-year history and has established a unique position that other sports brands cannot match.
How did "UMBRO" grow to be such a beloved brand? Probably because it combines an outstanding brand story with a deep passion for its products. To explore this further, we spoke with Toru Matsui and Takahiro Shimamura, project planners at Descente Japan Ltd.
PROFILE
Toru Matsui
Descente Japan Ltd. UMBRO Brand Manager
In charge of UMBRO since 2022. As a football brand with 100 years of history and tradition originating from the UK, the aim is to develop products that connect with children and host the UMBRO Cup, to grow the brand alongside football enthusiasts.
PROFILE
Takahiro Shimamura
Descente Japan Ltd. UMBRO Merchandiser
Joined Descente Japan Ltd. in 2010. In charge of UMBRO's apparel product planning since 2020. He is involved in launching new collections such as THE THIRD by UMBRO and AWAY DAYS while driving activities for the brand's 100th anniversary.
The Beginning: Cart Deliveries
Can you tell us about the origin of the brand?
ShimamuraThe name "UMBRO" comes from the founders, the Humphreys Brothers. In 1924, Harold, who had experience working at a sportswear company, started a business with his brother in Manchester.
Back then, they began selling goods using a handcart at the local pub where their parents worked. They originally handled sportswear for various activities, not just football, but eventually gravitated toward football wear due to the presence of renowned local English teams.
The popularity of football over baseball due to the region, isn't it?
ShimamuraYes, with strong teams like Manchester United and Manchester City, football was incredibly popular in England.
Moreover, sources indicate that the opening of Wembley Stadium, with a capacity of 85,000 people, a year before the brand's birth, significantly helped expand the football business in Manchester.
I heard you supplied uniforms for the 1934 FA Cup Final.
ShimamuraUnfortunately, there are no detailed records about how we came to supply uniforms for the finals. However, the significant growth of the business back then was likely due to the establishment of what is now known as a Quick Response (QR) production system.
This system allowed for delivery within 48 hours of an order, meeting the needs of many football teams through rapid supply of custom wear.
Apart from innovations in production technology, what else helped spread the name of UMBRO?
ShimamuraOne emblematic event was when the Brazil national team wore UMBRO uniforms in 1958. Throughout the 1950s and '60s, many strong teams adopted UMBRO apparel, catching the attention of many people.
Also, when a British rock band performed live in Manchester in 1996, wearing UMBRO's drill top, it became another iconic item.
Crafting Sportswear that Fuses Tradition & Innovation
What are the key points you value in sportswear development?
ShimamuraUMBRO is a brand originating from the UK, but in Japan, our company, Descente, holds the trademark rights. Therefore, products from Umbro in Japan are uniquely planned here.
While cherishing the image of UMBRO in its home country, we focus on "comfort." We collaborate with material manufacturers to analyze pro soccer players' movements and research patterns that optimize in-game actions.
We especially value the voices of the players on the field, so we incorporate feedback from teams that use UMBRO products and from customer voices at exhibitions into our developments.
What specific improvements have been made through feedback?
ShimamuraWith game shorts, there was an issue where players' thighs would get sticky with sweat during matches. So, we adopted a pattern called "slip panel," where the width of the bottom hem of the shorts is increased to facilitate lifting the thigh.
We incorporated this into professional soccer team uniforms and have since adapted it to apparel for general sale.
What are your thoughts on the material aspects?
ShimamuraFunctionally, we use a uniquely developed material that blocks sunlight, achieving a cooling effect 3 degrees cooler than regular fabric.
Japan's climate is hot and humid, with scorching summers and playing fields that get extremely hot. We developed this material to ensure comfort.
You're focused on preserving the UK-based brand image, but what about the design aspect?
ShimamuraUniforms today often have flashy graphics, but since UMBRO is a UK-origin brand, we focus on traditional designs. We aim to create something that feels both nostalgic yet new by focusing on materials and patterns, even with simple designs.
We've put a lot into the design of our 100th-anniversary products. Although we've never before boldly incorporated the Union Jack image into our products, we aimed to have the products tell the brand's story of a UK-origin 100-year-anniversary brand, and I think we expressed this well.
Fusion with Fashion Brands
It's probably a brand loved by many because it values tradition.
ShimamuraI think establishing our position as a brand focused on football while influencing lifestyle has been significant.
For example, in 2002, the England national team's uniform had a collaboration with Paul Smith. We've always been particular about uniform creation, but collaborating with fashion designers or hosting music events at launches expanded awareness of UMBRO as a brand that can merge with fashion brands.
Despite a 100-year tradition focusing on football, we also have sophisticated connections with fashion brands. I'd be delighted if both those involved in soccer and those interested in fashion think, "UMBRO is an interesting brand."
What do you think about being recognized from fields like fashion or street beyond your specialized areas?
ShimamuraWith the rise of vintage clothing on the street, there's renewed attention on UMBRO's classic strong team uniforms, which we see positively.
However, trends can be short-lived, so as the excitement fades, we must continue to convey our tradition as a long-standing football brand to remain unforgettable.
Regarding brand recognition, what kinds of activities are you involved in?
ShimamuraWhen it comes to reaching the younger demographic, collaborations with fashion brands are essential. Through these collaborations, we've received varied responses, allowing people who weren't previously interested in UMBRO to recognize our name.
Moreover, to promote our identity as a football brand, we hold a tournament called the UMBRO Cup in various regions across the nation.
The history of this tournament is quite long, tracing its origins back to 1995 when it was held in England with top teams from around the world. Building on this legacy, we conduct tournaments in Japan targeting elementary to high school students.
Looking Towards the Next Century
Could you share your aims for future brand expansion?
MatsuiWe will continue to base our brand on its origins in Britain and its 100-year history. Alongside, we aim to sell products that pursue modern football culture, combining stylish design and functionality.
Additionally, we're committed to promoting the sport of football and ensuring children's safety education. In England, due to concerns about its impact on children's brains, heading is banned. We plan to share this kind of information in Japan and develop products like protective headbands to safeguard children's growth and safety.
As a brand that has thrived for a century by adapting to societal changes, we aim to grow alongside everyone involved in football over the next hundred years.
■ Pop-up Event Information
To wrap up the celebration of our 100th anniversary, we are hosting a special pop-up event at "Kinetics" in Harajuku.
Date: November 22, 2024 (Fri) – December 4, 2024 (Wed)
Hours: 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Location: Inside Kinetics, 1F
Address: Jingu-mae Fujiki Building, 1-12-7 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001
Details here
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