Lockdown divided the nation into two categories: The outdoor explorers and the Netflix binge-watchers. And one local clothing brand is catering to both.
Lunar Thorn adventure apparel was launched in lockdown by Paige Rose – a Mancunian single mother who wanted to create eco-conscious adventure threads that doubled as loungewear.
Whilst Paige has been passionate about exploring for years, the first lockdown felt like the perfect time to get her concept off the ground – providing t-shirts and hoodies with wanderlust prints for people turning to nature for freedom.
“People started to explore the outdoors more, simply because they couldn’t do anything else,” says Paige.
“It was the release we all needed when confined to our homes.”
After becoming a new mum, Paige felt her entire life shift to focus on parenthood – and it changed her perspective on things.
“I was so focused on being the best mother I could be, I forgot what I liked to do,” she explains.
“My entire purpose in life shifted to accommodate the bundle of joy that I’d made. And in that I felt that I lost some of my identity whilst also gaining a new one.”
As lockdown ebbed on, Paige found solace in nature and started using her daily hour of exercise to visit local parks and sights.
“The outdoors just has the most serene effect on a lost soul,” she mused.
“It was exactly what I needed.”
Paige’s reignited passion for exploring led her to establish Lunar Thorn – which had been a dream of hers for years.
After lots of hard work, Manchester’s latest adventure apparel brand was officially launched – targeting a gap in the market for sustainable outdoor clothing that was comfortable enough for TV marathons.
“You can find adventure anywhere!” says Paige, encouraging everyone to get outside and experience the sights around them.
“Whether that be in the big city, a small town or even at home in your heart. It all starts with that spark and drive like it did for me.”
Despite living on the outskirts of Manchester, Paige hasn’t let the city inhibit these experiences.
“Manchester has so many hidden gems – from the scenic routes along the canal to the bigger parks and even the country roads that link some of the towns.
“The possibilities of adventure in the borough are endless.”
Paige has always been fond of the outdoors – and some of her best childhood memories involve exploring.
“I grew up the eldest of 4 siblings on a council estate,” she says.
“Although our mum worked hard for everything we had, we appreciated the smallest of things because we knew money was tight.
“The one thing we looked forward to wasn’t the material things but spending time with the family as a whole. Whether that be going to local parks, a walk down the canal or for a drive to the beach.”
Not only have these memories lasted a lifetime for Paige, but she is also keen to pass down these experiences to her son via Lunar Thorn.
The brand is also committed to giving back to the environment through its sustainable efforts – with products made entirely of organic or circulated cotton and produced in renewable plants/factories to minimise impact on the planet.
Lunar Thorn supports numerous charity events, too, including the One Tee 1kg campaign which helps to clear plastic waste from the ocean and the Buy One Get One Tree project, which co-operates with various tree planting organisations in Madagascar.
It is these small acts of charity that are really making a difference.
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As for the future, Lunar Thorn is ambitious as ever. While the company will continue to create more products and collections, the main focus is to raise awareness for the brand and amazing causes it stands for.
“My final goal is creating something worth passing down to my son,” Paige states.
“And giving him the start in life I dreamed of when growing up!”
Their entire collection of adventure apparel is available to purchase on the Lunar Thorn website.
Style
Sale Sharks drop Haçienda-inspired away kit for the 2025/26 season
Danny Jones
Local rugby side Sale Sharks have just released their new away kit for the 2025/26 season, taking inspiration from Manchester’s legendary nightclub, The Haçienda.
The Greater Manchester club have a great run with Macron as their suppliers, with the Italian sportswear manufacturer coming on board in 2021, but this might be one of their best shirts yet.
After teasing the latest jersey with a ‘This is OUR NORTH’ trailer on Wednesday, 20 August, ahead of the Premiership Rugby season getting underway next month, supporters were excited to see what the pair had come up with for their latest design.
Turns out, they had every reason to be, as the 25/26 Sale Sharks kit has gone down as an instant hit, with the rich, almost wine coloured number integrating that iconic Haçienda pattern.
With Sharks men’s and women’s stars Carmen Castellucci, recent signing Nathan Jibulu, Nikita Prothero, Sam Dugdale, and Ernst van Rhyn all getting involved for the kit reveal, the new away shirt went on sale this Thursday morning (10 Aug).
Aside from the recognisable chevron pattern, which nods to the famous Mancunian music venue and the city’s storied clubbing scene, the launch video was filmed within a special exhibition in honour of the man behind The Haçienda and co-founder of Factory Records, the one and only Tony Wilson.
Plenty of tourists have visited the city to see the Tony Wilson Exhibition at the Smolensky Gallery – the showcase having just ended this past July – but this short shoot looks to help extend the celebrations of his legacy.
As for the kit itself, Sale Sharks and Macron have gone for another very Mancunian colour scheme, it would seem, choosing magenta and Bordeaux hues as a tribute to another one of our most famous creations: Vimto.
You’ve just got to love a kit with multiple hometown references.
It might not be full-on black and yellow (Man City already did that a couple of years ago), but it’s still an eye-catching pattern and colour combo.
Other little touches that will no doubt please fans include the embossed print depicting a shark fin at the bottom of the shirt and the date 1861 – the year the rugby union team was founded.
While plant-based ‘super food’ sponsor BOL takes pride of place in the front of the female jerseys, the men’s team remain with Toshiba, and the shirts themselves are made from Eco Fabric: 100% polyester derived from post-consumer recycled plastic.
So, what do you make of the new and very Manc away shirt, Sale Sharks fans? All we know is it’s been a great summer for kits all-round.
Featured Images — Sale Sharks (supplied)/Loco Steve (via Flickr)
Style
Bohemian FC are giving away five of their viral Oasis football shirts
Danny Jones
Irish football club and growing cult favourite footy fashion industry-leaders, Bohemians, recently dropped a limited edition Oasis shirt to celebrate the Live ’25 reunion tour.
Now, if you were at the Heaton Park dates or any of the comeback shows, you will likely have seen a fair few gig-goers donning the Bohemian FC x Oasis kit collab.
In fact, even if you’ve walked through Manchester city centre over the past couple of months, the chances are you passed someone wearing one of these Britpop-inspired shirts, which have quickly gone down as music culture collectables.
And while pretty much every bit of Oasis’ official adidas Originals clobber and countless other bits of merch continue to sell out, ‘The Bohs’ are offering you lucky lot the chance to cop a free kit. If you’re interested, keep reading…
The Bohemians x Oasis collab shirt is one of our favourites of the year. (Credit: Bohemian Football Club (supplied)
For anyone unaware of the background behind this crossover, the Bohemians are a 100% fan-owned, not-for-profit organisation, who also happen to be the oldest club in the League of Ireland.
Based in Dublin, the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division side has remained deeply immersed in the local community and its sporting culture throughout their history, and of late, they’ve been further infusing that heritage with their equally deep connection to the arts.
Over the past few seasons, they blended footy with the music world, releasing several exclusive and highly sought-after kits that all tie back into the club in some capacity, including shirts inspired by Bob Marley, compatriots Thin Lizzy and Fontaines D.C. (equally viral), as well as our very own Oasis.
Liam and Noel Gallagher’s following and its Irish contingent, in particular, are as strong as they’ve ever been, so ahead of the reunion shows getting underway last month, Bohemian FC revealed their special FAI Cup shirt paying homage to the Burnage boys.
Featuring the band’s iconic logo in the traditional blue tones of Dublin City, it went down as an instant hit among Oasis and Bohs fans alike, as well as among footy kit culture connosieurs.
Better still, all the profits from the shirt sales are being split between Bohemian FC and two key charities back in the Emerald Isle and in 0161: Music Generation Ireland and Irish Community Care Manchester, based on Stockport Road – not too far from where the Gallaghers grew up.
Now, although the Manc music legends never played Bohemians’ home stadium at Dalymount in Phibsborough, the Gallaghers remain two of the most iconic green and gold-blooded musicians ever.
Having crossed off Cardiff, Manchester, London and Edinburgh off their Live ’25 reunion tour, their Dublin double-header is up next this August, with two shows taking place at Croke Park, less than a mile from the hallowed ground.
Whether or not you’ve got tickets to see them in the ancestral homeland, or anywhere else for that matter and want to look the part, or just want to wear your colours for as long as Oasis mania lasts, you might as well throw your hat in the ring to win one of five FREE Bohs footy shirts.
As for how to enter, it’s all very simple: fill out the competition form HERE; like and share this post on X (formerly known as Twitter), and follow our Audio North music page, as well as the official @bfcdublin account on Instagram.
Oh, and tagging a friend or sharing a pic of your best Oasis memories wouldn’t hurt either.
That’s it; we didn’t want to make things complicated – this is a giveaway not only in the hopes of scoring our readers with a freebie but a charitable one that helps Irish cousins over the water and here in Manchester.
Daisy Bradbury -
30th April 2021 
