If there's one brand that has my full attention in 2025, it's UMBRO. The British football brand celebrated its 100th anniversary last year and made a big splash with collaborations with names like Slam Jam, Palace, Boiler Room, and Balenciaga.
After receiving all the congratulations, UMBRO is maintaining the momentum and unveiling unique projects that will drop in the coming year – and they are looking good.
UMBRO is back
I don't think there's been a brand in years that has made such a big comeback as UMBRO. The brand is rooted in the football culture of Manchester and is known for its football boots, jerseys, and tracksuits. Since 2024, the rectangular logo has also appeared on high-end pieces from brands like Balenciaga.
From designing football boots to appearing on the runway of fashion house Balenciaga, UMBRO has been on quite a journey and seems to be following exactly the right path. After the viral 'Penalty Culture' drop with retailer Slam Jam in 2024 – yes, that drop with those balaclava jackets – things have been moving fast for the British brand.
In the same year, UMBRO collaborated with labels like HUF and Palace, two big names in skate culture. In a year where football played a prominent role, with both the EURO and the Olympic Games in the same summer, UMBRO created its own league, where their designs played a major role in streetwear culture.
With every drop, whether in collaboration with HUF, Palace, or through their own collections, UMBRO managed to maintain and bring back its own style and heritage into the designs. Storytelling played a big part in this, as UMBRO's campaigns were each a hit – I mean, seeing your items as museum pieces says a lot about the confidence in your own drop.
2025
UMBRO has re-established itself and seems determined to maintain this momentum in the coming year. The brand has already released some tees in collaboration with Boiler Room, the world's biggest EDM platform, and appears to be focusing mainly on jerseys for both football and rugby teams.
UMBRO's lifestyle items, characterized by their distressed look, continue to be a hit. As the cherry on top, we see another drop in collaboration with Slam Jam, which might even surpass the previous one. The campaign features a chainmail football jersey, inspired by the medieval era, woven together with silver rings.
Football in a historical guise – it doesn't get better than that. UMBRO has 2025 in its grip, and we’re only a few months in. I’m honestly surprised that this campaign has remained somewhat under the radar, as well as the recent drops from UMBRO.
But I’m not complaining, the more for me.
Read more about UMBRO and articles like this on the Sneakerjagers nieuwspagina.
UMBRO, founded in 1924 in Manchester, started as a football apparel brand and became known for its innovative football boots. The brand grew globally through collaborations with top teams and tournaments. Since the 2020s, UMBRO has translated its football roots into lifestyle collections, collaborating with brands such as Balenciaga, Slam Jam, Palace, and HUF.
UMBRO has had collaborations with brands such as Slam Jam, Palace, Balenciaga, HUF and Boiler Room. In particular, the 2024 'Penalty Culture' collection in collaboration with Slam Jam was a huge success for the brand.
