Under Armour recently opened its first Russian store in the Metropolis shopping mall in Moscow, saying that it sees “huge potential” in the nation and is planning on further retail expansion in the capital city, St. Petersburg and Ekaterinburg, according to Anvar Sidorov of WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY. The opening comes after Nike opened a flagship store in Moscow last March. Adidas also opened a flagship store for its "Originals" brand. Under Armour Russia Managing Dir Oleg Tsai said, "Russia is witnessing great growth of interest toward fitness and healthy lifestyle, which becomes essential for more and more people, especially in big cities, but also in regions." He cited data from RBC Information System that forecast 11% growth in Russia's fitness industry this year, and noted that "outdoor training is particularly popular." According to Euromonitor data from '16, sports-inspired apparel and sports-inspired footwear accounted for 58% of total value sales in sportswear. Riccardo Tortato, fashion director of Tsum's e-commerce and men's fashion director, said that Russian customers are "changing, and suits are less of a statement and more of a requirement for occasions with a dress code." He said, "Urban luxury is taking over and becoming part of the day-to-day dress code" (WWD, 11/8).
