Will Oasis reunion ignite a 90s Britpop fashion resurgence? Parkas, bucket hats and more

Clothing brands will be looking to cash in on 1960s meets 1990s revival as Gallagher brothers become fashionable again

In his trademark high-necked parka, Liam Gallagher performs at the BRIT Awards 2022 ceremony. Along with his brother Noel, the pair are resurrecting Oasis. AFP

The Gallagher brothers need little introduction, and the news that Liam and Noel are putting aside their differences to stage a comeback tour has sent the British Isles into a state of frenzy in the race to get tickets.

While many were left empty-handed amid tales of five-hour waiting times and crashed websites on Saturday, ticket holders must now hope the brothers can stay on speaking terms long enough to perform together in 2025. Although there are no guarantees, one thing is certain: the swaggering fashion of the 1990s they helped make famous is set for a reboot.

During the Britpop heyday, Oasis and the brothers Gallagher showcased a style that is often copied yet seldom bettered. Drawing on the 1960s Northern Mod movement, the pair developed a uniform of Kangol bucket hats, polo shirts, parkas and rounded sunglasses they made completely their own.

Liam is widely recognised for his style, with a knack for making the most unlikely item look effortless, including the cable knit jumper he famously wore to the Knebworth concert. He single-handedly made Clarks Wallabee suede shoes cool, and sent sales of Adidas Gazelles and Levi 504 jeans through the roof.

His determination to wear outwear on stage has never faltered – despite the risk of heatstroke – with parkas, pea coats, windbreakers and even duffel coats all appearing tightly fastened to the chin in his signature style. Forever a big fan of Berghaus and Stone Island jackets, Liam has experimented will all manner of colours from two-toned blue and red, to a bright orange poncho parka he donned for the One Love Manchester Benefit Concert in 2017.

He has worked his way through myriad other jackets too, from cut to the hip, to stretching to his knee, in varying styles including suede biker jackets, zip-up leather bombers and even a slimline car coat he teamed with a trailing scarf.

Having worn Adidas Sambas and Gazelles on repeat back in the day, it was only a matter of time before a collaboration came calling, and in 2018 he and Adidas released his reworking of the 1974 Barrington Smash model.

Noel, meanwhile, definitely has a soft spot for the snorkel parka but overall favours a stricter dress code than his little brother, including hip length front fastening bomber jackets, like the Levi Trucker, or a zipped Our Legacy version.

A self-confessed fan of the ‘Modfather” Paul Weller, Noel has also sported a ‘peacock’ Mod haircut (longer on the sides and back and spiky on top) for decades, while Liam has had many variations on it too, including one with mutton chop sideburns.

Adept at mixing clothes anyone can access, the pair have developed a sartorial language that is resolutely their own, even three decades on. As we brace for brands looking to cash in on this 1960s meets 1990s revival, Levi’s is already well placed having already dropped a series of T-shirts to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Definitely Maybe. Pretty Green, the menswear line founded by Liam in 2010 can expect to see an sharp rise in sales, while band T-shirts and football jerseys will soon be everywhere.

For those who have a box of Wallabees, Kangol hats and Man City shirts tucked away in storage, now would be a good time to unearth it and practise the Liam swagger. Decked out in hooded parka, and strutting like you own the world, now is the moment to be standing on the shoulders of giants.