Under Armour Brand House Amsterdam Flagship
Kalverstraat 16
The launch of Under Armour’s first European flagship in Amsterdam marked a major milestone in the brand’s global retail expansion. Developed through close collaboration between global and EMEA teams—including Store Design, Visual Merchandising, Marketing, and Store Development—the project brought together cross-functional expertise to create a premium, brand-defining experience in one of Europe’s most iconic shopping destinations.
Building on this foundation, the flagship delivers a unified and elevated retail environment that reflects Under Armour’s performance-driven identity while authentically connecting with the European consumer through culturally relevant, localized design. This experience was guided by a clear creative vision centered on delivering a fully integrated in-store journey—combining spatial design, immersive visual merchandising, and a cohesive marketing strategy that aligned global storytelling with regional product activations.
Together, these elements created a flagship experience that not only elevated the brand’s presence in Europe but also set a new benchmark for global–regional collaboration in retail design.
Located on one of Amsterdam’s historic commercial arteries since the 17th century, Kalverstraat 16 had been vacant for five years due to structural decay and ground settling, requiring more than two years of foundation reinforcement before construction could begin.
Windows were strategically curated to showcase campaigns and seasonal product stories. Each installation blended campaign-specific imagery and messaging with thoughtfully executed product presentations to deliver relevant, engaging storytelling. Together, these elements captured customer attention and elevated brand engagement at street level.
Entry zones served as a natural extension of the window displays, carrying campaign elements into the store to promote engagement around key product suites and featured looks.
An evergreen display system was designed and customized throughout the space to showcase product innovation, brand heritage, localization, pattern design, and athlete storytelling—ensuring the flagship store remained dynamic, relevant, and easily adaptable.
Localization played a pivotal role in bringing the space to life. A bold visual element inspired by Amsterdam’s graffiti and street art culture added authentic, street-level energy that rooted the store in its local context.
As part of the evergreen design system, the brand pattern was subtly integrated across displays, environmental graphics, fixtures, and surfaces—adding texture, reinforcing identity, and unifying the space without overpowering key product moments. It served as a foundational element of the overall design language.
“I WILL” was more than a trademark — it served as a bold, visual brand promise, brought to life in-store through evergreen displays that reinforced Under Armour’s commitment to athletes.
The display was designed to showcase the brand’s product innovation, highlighting transformative advancements—from the first performance t-shirt to cutting-edge technologies and 3D-printed footwear. An elevated design approach featured LED-etched glass and custom iconography to frame and spotlight each innovation, creating a visually striking and informative experience as customers entered the store’s second level.
Powerful imagery, juxtaposed with three-dimensional elements, drove athlete storytelling and brought the brand’s performance message to life.
Localized run routes, downloaded from UA MapMyRun, inspired a branded poster series featured throughout the store. These graphics were integrated into category zones, hallway walls, and fitting rooms—extending the store’s localized, street-level design language while celebrating Amsterdam’s running culture.
Athlete imagery was strategically placed throughout the store to support both brand storytelling and the in-store journey. Positioned at key sightlines, it anchored product zones, guided wayfinding, and enhanced the overall experience—balancing emotional impact with functional clarity.
End-use signage complemented athlete imagery and served as a wayfinding tool, helping customers navigate the retail journey by clearly communicating product purpose and performance intent.
Visual merchandising and product displays highlighted a system of dress, showcasing key seasonal styles, curated collections, featured footwear, and performance technologies. Product and athlete photography supported these presentations by providing context, demonstrating functionality, and reinforcing the brand’s performance narrative
Though more compact, Youth Zones were thoughtfully designed as dedicated destinations, placing young athletes at the forefront through engaging displays, scaled design elements, and age-relevant storytelling.
Credits
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Leadership Team
Luiz Andrade
Senior Director, Consumer Experience DesignKristian Espinosa
Director, Consumer Experience DesignDesign Team
Nathan Grundhauser
Design Director, GraphicsJeff Dudero
Design Director, Environments
Eric Duncan
Senior Graphic DesignerKatrina Keane
Graphic DesignerJosh Sadowsky
Senior Manager, Brand Voice & Copy -
Leadership Team
Tom Walsh
VP, Store DesignSarah Wexler
Director, Store DesignDesign Team
Alexa Yoon
Lead, Store DesignHenry Ramirez
Manager, Store Development -
Justin Ettinger
Director, Store DevelopmentGorrit Gijsen
Director, Retail ExperiencePhillipp Linz
Senior Director, Retail Experience & Store Development
Iris van Ryssen
Sustainability Lead, Store DevelopmentNille Scholten
Senior Manager, Retail Experience Marketing