Under Armour launches its first running shoe made on a Women’s last.

Traditional women’s running shoes often derive from a men’s-designed shoe made smaller to fit the female foot. This means running shoes often lack the flexibility, fit, and arch support women need.

UA Flow Synchronicity was created for women, by women. Inspired by their female athletes, an all-female UA design team decided to change the narrative in the running footwear industry; building a women’s specific shoe from scratch. Integrating data and consumer insights from women who ran in a series of prototypes, the design team began with a new approach in addressing fit: holistic and multi-layered. 

The team studied the nuances and differences between a man’s and woman’s foot, focusing on three key areas – the heel, the arch, and the midfoot heights. They studied 3D scans for a scientific understanding of the anatomy, and performed wear-testing on athletes to help refine design and structure of the shoe. Not only did they study their biomechanics, their foot shape and proportions, the contours and the sensitivities of the foot, but also, they tried to understand the female athlete’s needs based on the way they interacted with the shoe and how they provided feedback. Finally, to improve fit and arch support, the designers utilized the UA Flow technology, specifically looking at how women’s heels blend into the arch and into the forefront of the foot.  The resulting design of the new UA Flow Synchronicity is a shoe that provides HER with the perfect fit.

New Zealand re-purposed global content with local running athlete and influencer Lana van Hout to launch the shoe into the market through Rebel Sport & DTC channels.

Lana vanHout running Auckland’s waterfront in the new UA Flow Synchronicity.