WINSTON SALEM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Champion Athleticwear, makers of authentic athletic apparel since 1919, and Authentic Brands Group (ABG), a global brand development company today announced a multi-year collaboration for the Muhammad Ali brand. Through the partnership, Muhammad Ali will be the muse for a comprehensive, global campaign that will include integration across the Champion platforms and a series of product collections and limited edition drops. Champion will utilize Muhammad Ali’s iconic imagery, quotes, and his six core principles that fueled his journey.
“Champions are defined by how they carry themselves in sports and beyond,” said David Robertson, Director of Champion Global Brand Marketing. “Muhammad Ali’s legacy and Champion share a common foundation of authenticity, confidence and inclusivity. We are incredibly excited to see how consumers react to this new collaboration and interpret how we’ve incorporated designs that reflect self-expression to help them feel comfortable, confident and ready to take on any challenge.”
As “The People’s Champion,” Muhammad Ali was the ultimate personification of what it means to be a champion – not for what he did inside the ring but for what was inside of him. The first drop of the Champion X Muhammad Ali collection is based on Ali’s six core principles: confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect and spirituality. Champion wants to inspire everyone using these core principles to feel strength from within and to be empowered to start a movement of staying true to oneself, on and off the field.
The partnership kicks off with the launch of the Champion X Muhammad Ali Collection, which evokes Ali’s spirit, celebrates living like a champion, and is an embodiment of sportsmanship. Ali’s core principles are reflected throughout the collection in the apparel designs, which feature iconic images of Muhammad Ali and some of his most famous quotes.
The collection spans sizes XS – 2XL and will include Reverse Weave® hoodies, crewnecks and graphic t-shirts in a red, white, gold and black color scheme and a Hyped X Wash. The Special Edition Men’s Reverse Weave Hyped X Wash is a tie dye design, with each hoodie being one-of-a-kind and hand dyed by local Los Angeles artisans. Each hoodie is pre-washed for broken-in softness and has graphics including a photo-realistic, archival Ali image on the sleeve, and an elevated felt and satin The Greatest applique. The collection is rounded out with a limited-edition pin set available as an exclusive gift with purchase while supplies last in select Champion retail stores, that celebrates Ali with iconic images and words that commemorate his journey to greatness. Future collections and drops will be announced in the months to follow.
“The Greatest of All Time and Champion are a natural fit for a partnership, and we are really proud of the Champion X Muhammad Ali collection that drops today,” said Marc Rosen, President, Entertainment, ABG, which in conjunction with Lonnie Ali as trustee of the Muhammad Ali Family Trust (MAFT) owns Muhammad Ali Enterprises. “To quote Ali himself, ‘Champions aren't made in gyms, Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision.’ This partnership will honor that sentiment and we are excited for it to kick off.”
To shop the Champion X Muhammad Ali collection, visit Champion.com, Champion Retail stores, Social Status or RSVP Gallery beginning today. Retailing between $40 and $125, the items are the first of three collection drops with Muhammad Ali in 2021, with the second and third drops slated for later this year and more collections planned for 2022.
To learn more about the Champion, visit Champion.com and follow the brand on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook.
About Champion®
Since 1919, Champion Athleticwear has offered a full line of innovative athletic apparel for men and women including activewear, sweats, tees, sports bras, team uniforms, footwear and accessories. Champion uses innovative design and state-of-the-art product testing to ensure uncompromised quality and innovative apparel for its consumers. Champion Athleticwear can be purchased at department stores, sporting goods, specialty retailers, and at Champion.com. For more information, please contact us at 1-800-315-0563 or at Facebook.com/Champion, follow us on Twitter @Championusa or on Instagram @Champion. Champion is a brand of Hanesbrands Inc. (NYSE:HBI).
About Authentic Brands Group
Authentic Brands Group (ABG) is a brand development, marketing, and entertainment company, which owns a portfolio of global media, entertainment, and lifestyle brands. Headquartered in New York City, ABG elevates and builds the long-term value of more than 50 consumer brands and properties by partnering with best-in-class manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. Its brands have a global retail footprint in more than 100,000 points of sale across the luxury, specialty, department store, mid-tier, mass, and e-commerce channels, and more than 6,000 freestanding stores and shop-in-shops around the world.
ABG is committed to transforming brands by delivering compelling product, content, business, and immersive experiences. It creates and activates original marketing strategies to drive the success of its brands across all consumer touchpoints, platforms, and emerging media. ABG’s portfolio of iconic and world-renowned brands generates more than $14 billion in annual retail sales and includes Marilyn Monroe®, Elvis Presley®, Muhammad Ali®, Shaquille O'Neal®, Sports Illustrated®, Dr. J®, Greg Norman®, Neil Lane®, Thalia®, Nautica®, Aéropostale®, Forever 21®, Juicy Couture®, Vince Camuto®, Herve Leger®, Judith Leiber®, Barneys New York®, Brooks Brothers®, Frye®, Lucky Brand®, Nine West®, Jones New York®, Frederick's of Hollywood®, Hickey Freeman®, Hart Schaffner Marx®, Adrienne Vittadini®, Bandolino®, Spyder®, Tretorn®, Tapout®, Prince®, Volcom®, Airwalk®, Vision Street Wear®, Thomasville®, Drexel®, and Henredon®.
For more information, visit authenticbrandsgroup.com.
Follow ABG on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
About Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is one of the most influential athletes and humanitarians of the 20th century and has created some of the most legendary moments in sports and civil rights history. More than 50 years after he emerged as a Gold Medalist in Boxing at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Ali’s legacy extends beyond the ring and he continues to be widely recognized as one of the most celebrated and beloved icons of all time.
His incomparable work ethic, signature boxing techniques, and fearlessness towards standing up for his beliefs, all contribute to the legend that is Muhammad Ali. Among his countless awards and accolades, he was named Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsman of the Century,” GQ’s “Athlete of the Century,” a United Nations Messenger of Peace, and has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Amnesty International Lifetime Achievement Award. Muhammad Ali’s legacy is celebrated across cultures and continues to inspire today’s most influential athletes, artists, musicians and humanitarians around the world.
