When news broke that Oasis were reuniting, the internet exploded. While many brands scrambled to jump on the cultural moment, The Romans held back, developing a jacket in tribute to the band, releasing it online just as the tour started.
While the jacket launch is not an official collab with the band, it’s a carefully considered piece of streetwear that nods to culture and stitches storytelling into every seam.
“We could’ve rushed something out when the reunion was announced,” says Jordan from creative agency, The Romans, who masterminded the campaign. “But we wanted to take our time, to make something people would actually wear to the gigs and keep long after.”
The jacket’s origin story taps into a rich (and surprisingly hilarious) history of online flirtation between Lidl and Liam Gallagher. There’s the time Liam joked he’d play at a Lidl if Manchester’s Co-Op Arena wasn’t ready. And the time Gallagher’s red-blue-yellow Berghaus jacket had fans asking why he looked like a Lidl employee.
“There were already two touch points with the brand,” Jordan explains. “We had the pun – Lidl by Lidl, inspired by their song ‘Little by Little’ – and we had the history. That gave us permission to do something meaningful, not just reactive.”
This isn’t Lidl’s first foray into fashion. From viral sliders to a croissant-shaped bag that caused chaos at Fashion Week, the supermarket has built a reputation for limited drops that toe the line between irony and style.
But this coat, Jordan says, is “a level up.” Made from a performance-grade polyester blend (the same material used by luxury sportswear brand Stone Island, with which Liam officially partnered for the AW24 campaign), the jacket is designed with music lovers in mind. Hidden within its colour-blocked exterior are a handful of playful but practical details: a zip pull that doubles as a bottle opener, insulated pockets to keep your beers cold, and even a tambourine packaged in the box – a nod to Liam’s on-stage antics.
“It’s beer-proof, gig-proof, and designed for a bit of a laugh,” says Jordan. “But it also genuinely feels premium. You could find it in Flannels, and no one would bat an eye.”
As part of the campaign, The Romans also commissioned a mural painted on the side of Maine Road Chippy, overlooking Manchester's Etihad Stadium. It’s the same spot where Stone Island plastered his face last year for their campaign release and something only super fans will recognise.
Crucially, the jacket is only available online and in limited quantities.
“We don’t want this to be mass-produced,” says Jordan. “Exclusivity drives hype. And when you’re dealing with a fandom as devoted as Oasis’s, you want it to feel like a collector’s item.”
“We wanted people to feel like they’re part of something — that they’re in on it,” Jordan says. “And Oasis fans get it. The band’s always had that piss-taking edge. This taps into that spirit.”
This product launch complements Lidl’s ongoing transformation into a style-savvy, culture-tapping player, making it one of the more unexpected and delightful evolutions in retail today.
“This is what we try to do at The Romans,” Jordan explains. “Make PR campaigns that don’t feel like PR campaigns. It’s not about celebrity spawn posing with products. It’s about making something people actually want, that they’ll remember five years from now.”
The only question is: will Liam wear it? “Fingers crossed,” Jordan grins. “Let’s see what happens.”
Lidl by Lidl’s Oasis-inspired jacket is available online only, in limited quantities.