The Britpop bands of the 90s have a lot to answer for. As the likes of Oasis, The Verve and Blur rose to the dizzying heights of fame, an entire style of dress was popularised alongside their music.
Impelled by the band’s casual fashion statements, fans in Manchester went ‘mad fer’ parkas, polos and retro Adidas jackets. And some still haven’t quite grown out of them.
But of course, it’s not the first time music has led such a fashion revolution. Music, culture and fashion have had a longstanding relationship.
From the mods and rockers subcultures of the 60s and 70s, to the emo and scene kids of the 00s, it’s always been about identity, expression and feeling inspired.
Starting out as a club residency, the brand is now committed to capturing the vibe around Manchester through streetwear – putting a contemporary twist on musically-influenced clothing.
Typical Gallagher fashion altus apparel t-shirt
Tom Horner, founder of altus tells us how his inspirations have shaped his designs.
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“After what started out back in the day as a DJ residency at a club in West Yorkshire in my student days, Altus has always had firm roots in house and techno,” he said.
“Previous pieces that I’ve released have donned DJs that have inspired me, or lyrics from samples or tracks that are synonymous with those genres. My apparel will always give a little nod to house and techno in some way.”
“I go through stages where I’ll hammer disco sounds for a good month, then move in a completely different direction into something darker and more progressive. I think this comes across in some of the apparel I’ve released recently.
altus apparel fitsCanal view in Castlefield. Image: altus apparel
Tom is also a keen photographer and gathers plenty of inspiration from the industrial and gritty backdrop of Manchester itself.
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“I’ve been doing a lot of street photography in and around Manchester, mainly around the canal in Castlefield where I live,” he said.
“The street art has been something that has definitely inspired some of my recent designs and I’m pretty sure that will continue into future drops.”
“My latest piece is a classic beanie hat. This is a very simple design and something that I think reflects my surroundings and recent inspiration from listening to a lot of minimal techno.
“Music is such a powerful way to communicate feelings and emotion. I think both industries have kind of gone back to basics. There’s nowhere to hide anymore. So, unless you’re doing something original or something that you’re passionate about, then it’s quite transparent.”
The altus beanie Image: altus apparel
To maintain the brand’s music-based values, Tom makes sure music remains at the heart of everything altus does.
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He immerses altus in the scene by producing relevant playlists, promoting DJs and mixes, supporting events and gigs and sharing content on social media.
Meanwhile, he remains humble at the thought of people buying his designs and sharing his passions.
“I really hope that my interests and messages resonate with likeminded creatives,” he said.
“It’s a weirdly fulfilling feeling when someone buys a piece that you’ve designed. To say that someone holds similar values, or a common interest with you is one thing, but for someone to invest in a piece that I’ve created feels very special.
“Lockdown has given me the opportunity to realign and really focus on my designs and growing the brand. I’ve got a capsule of hoodies and new tees dropping before Christmas, and each piece is improving in terms of design and quality.”
To get your hands on some altus garms, head over to their website.
Style
Football fans rage over the cost of the new England kits for 2026 World Cup
Danny Jones
It’s that time again: lots of Three Lions fans have been left furious over the cost of new England kits, and having seen the latest price, we’re not surprised.
No, seriously, the world of football fashion is getting seriously out of control…
With the squads for this month’s national team camp having just dropped, March has also seen the release of the new England home and away shirts – both of which are pretty nice, if you ask us.
In case you haven’t seen it already, here’s an extended look at the reveal video, which debuted the new white and red strips ahead of the 2026 World Cup over in the USA:
You can find the full England kit range and all the prices right HERE.
All that being said, something we don’t like the look of is the price tag, and we’re far from the only ones – a good chunk of social media is up in arms about it.
While one person said, “Baffling anyone paying those prices”, and another quipped, “Then treat yourself to a World Cup ticket for three grand” – match prices having also been raised as a concern – the general consensus seems to be ‘game’s gone’, to use a seemingly timeless phrase.
Another sarcastically wrote, “I have no idea why the counterfeit shirt economy is booming when you can get an original [at] such a good price.”
For example, it didn’t take long for someone to share their most recent and more affordable overseas order along with the caption: “Surely no one is genuinely paying £90 for that when you can get it just as good on DHGate for £10.”
While fake footy shirts are a growing obstacle for manufacturers and suppliers all over the world, for an increasing amount of the general public, it’s now becoming genuinely the only viable way they can justify spending money on the latest kits.
Its a nice kit. But I def do not have £155 lying about.
For context, the above post is an example of the authentic player version worn in matches, which features Nike’s breathable AERO-Fit fabric.
However, even just the standard adult replica version is currently retailing at nearly £90; juniors ‘Stadium’ shirts are priced at £64.99, a full kids ‘Mini’ kit is nearly £50, and even a pair of shorts will set you back either £44.99 or £32.99, depending on whether you’re a kid of grown-up.
When you take into account the countless parents hoping to put a smile on their little one’s face by getting their favourite player’s name on the back of the new England jersey in time for the World Cup, it’s no wonder the Classic Football Shirts and hand-me-down vintage kits culture is so strong.
Featured Images — England/The FA/Sky One (screenshot)
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The Premier League and EFL should follow La Liga’s lead and bring Retro Matchdays to the UK
Danny Jones
Following the news that La Liga is set to debut a new ‘Retro Matchday’ round, we can’t help but ask the question: why didn’t the Premier League and EFL think of this first?
Well, technically, neither did the Spaniards, but you take our point.
Anyone who follows the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, or even the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) equivalent here in the UK and mainland Europe, will know that the concept is nothing new – but by and large, it seems to be for the beautiful game.
In case you missed it, in an effort to further capitalise on the increasing trend of vintage and classic football kit fashion/the wider nostalgia culture that only seems to be growing every year, Spain’s top two tiers will soon host their inaugural Retro Matchday gameweek next month, and we want a piece of it.
Set to be hosted from Friday, 10 April, over the usual weekend of football in their premier and second division, and running until the final lot of fixtures on Monday, 13 April (no, thankfully not an April Fool’s), supporters will get to see players step out onto the pitch in some of the country’s most iconic kits.
Depending on who you ask, some would argue that Spain has some of the nicest footy shirts all time, whether that be the national side or clubs themselves.
To be honest, we definitely have a soft spot for a proper European throwback – we’re thinking Borussia Dortmund’s 1995/96 home kit, the Napoli kits of the 80s, that amazing Toyota-sponsored Fila Fiorentina kit at the turn of the millennium – and even some of the best 2000s ones now look so old-school.
In fact, we actually had a taster of these kinds of special matches in the past, including here in 0161 for the likes of the Manchester Derby.
Reminds me of the Manchester derby in 2008 where they played in retro kits due to it coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Munich disaster. Looked absolutely brilliant. pic.twitter.com/TLRjKHThbG
When you also take into account that, besides collectors already creating a whole new craze in filling their cupboards with classic kits, the likes of Nike, Adidas and more now regularly turning to old designs like the ‘Futura’, Total 90′ and various ‘adi Originals’ revivals of late, it’s more the rage than ever.
Birmingham’s recent ‘penguin’ remake, Port Vale’s traditional 150th anniversary one, based on their 1953-54 season jersey, not to mention countless other lifestyle fashion collections inspired by historic releases, you can’t move for the stuff – so why not get them wearing it on the grass?
As mentioned, the likes of local ice hockey outfit Manchester Storm have been taking a leaf out of the NHL’s book for ages now, with the annual ‘Retro Nights’ proving to be some of the most popular dates on the calendar, even selling off original shirts in the stadium itself before, during and after the match.
We genuinely can’t think of a single football lover following a team at any level in the English football pyramid that wouldn’t LOVE this. In fact, plenty of them already go to the ground wearing their dad’s second-hand away strip, which has turned out to be a modern cult favourite among the next generation.
These are the kinds of ideas we can see fans actually getting behind; you can find out more HERE. Would you like to see a retro Premier League and/or EFL match day featuring your favourite kits from down the years?
Hannah Starkie -
16th November 2020 
