Liam Gallagher is (still) the face of Berghaus

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you might have noticed that Liam Gallagher is back in the headlines, and this time, it’s for all the right reasons. First, came the announcement in August that Liam and his long estranged brother, Noel, would be coming together for the first time in 16 years as part of a reunion tour beginning this July. Marking a watershed moment in Britpop history, the news single-handedly sent dads with mod-tops into a frenzy.

Then, came this. Whether or not the design team over at Berghaus HQ knew something we didn’t – or gave Liam a call as soon as the news aired – is hard to say. But one thing is clear: the arrival of the brand’s ​“Icons” campaign, centred by Liam himself, could not have been any more timely.

Now billboarded across cities in a technicolour Trango jacket – first aired in 1986 in service of hardened mountaineers – Liam rocks the newly reworked edition for AW24, doused in a rather old-school palette of navy, scarlet and canary yellow. The design revamp in question comes with some snacky additions, such as the three-layered membrane waterproofing system, ideal for anyone getting into climbing (the proper kind, not yuppie indoor climbing walls) or heading to Cardiff’s Principality Stadium for the first gig this summer.

Of course, this ain’t Liam’s first rodeo with the label. Menswear nerds haunting football casual selling sites will remember the red Meru jacket he rocked during Oasis’ Euro tour in 1997 – yep, it’s got a crazy resell value. In fact, Liam remembers the legendary brand, popular with acid housers and K2-conquering fanatics alike, from his halcyon youth.

“My first encounter with Berghaus was through my brother Noel. He purchased a green one in the late 80s and I was always pinching it off him,” said Liam in a release. ​“They were all the rage, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one of my own. I thought to myself, ​‘When I’m rich and famous, I’m getting myself one.’ I finally did that, and I’ve still got it to this day.”

Beyond Liam, the Newcastle-born label is part and parcel of British subculture, seen in the nineties and noughties uniforms of Scottish working-class ravers, not to mention basically every scouser. At one point in Liverpool, the Berghaus was basically considered uniform. You’ll also recognise the designs from lensman Simon Wheatley​’s legendary grime photography, where MC Big H is seen rocking a navy, black and yellow-accented Mera Peak design, which alongside the Trango and the Lumley silhouettes, has been given a fresh update for the season.

Shot by esteemed photographer Alasdair McLellan, the Icons campaign also sees heroic climber, Sir Chris Bonnington – who topped Everest in a Berghaus 40 years back – showcase the new, 600-fill down Lumley jacket in safety orange. Together, Liam and Chris encapsulate the story of Berghaus so far. From mountains to Manchester and beyond.