Berghaus, the renowned outdoor brand, approached us with a challenge: to celebrate the best of Berghaus’ classic walking gear while highlighting the innovation and newness of their SS24 collection. Our task was to devise a hero message and lookbook that would cascade throughout Berghaus and their retail partners.
Our goal was to dial up the rich heritage and nostalgia of the Berghaus trail classics collection and celebrate the quintessential Great Britishness of the modern-day outdoor adventure.
There is something beautiful about the great British outdoors, and there has long been a vibrant and free-spirited community that embraces it. Our concept was to celebrate the simplicity and beauty of the great British trail adventure and position it through a premium, fashion-focused lens. Our ultimate direction was to play on the juxtaposition of the Great British countryside by bringing it into a modern industrial studio setting.
Co-directed by Callum Earnshaw and Niamh Tulley, our creative direction embraced a blend of natural and industrial elements to evoke a premium lifestyle feel. We chose an industrial studio with a tactile concrete floor to create a juxtaposition of the natural and the industrial.
This simple yet striking setting provided the perfect backdrop for our focal piece: a still life, dried floral installation referencing British flora and fauna such as heather, gorse, and crowberry. The installation’s rich purples, yellows, and greens drew inspiration from the vibrant hues of British moorland in spring.
We kept the set relatively simple yet conceptually rich. The dried floral installation served as the centrepiece, while an additional hanging floral piece cast intriguing shadows, reinforcing the theme of bringing the outdoors inside. This element added depth and complexity to the scene, moving away from an overly minimal and clean aesthetic. Complementing this were playful props like picnic blankets, binoculars, and flasks of tea, which underscored the quintessentially British theme.
To further emphasise British charm, we incorporated a large set piece reminiscent of British rambling signage, featuring humorous directions like “this way to the pub” and “afternoon tea.” A rickety, aged, lichen-covered step-over stile was used to display samples and facilitate active poses by the models, enhancing the dynamic feel of the shoot.
Supporting props, including sandwiches with no crusts and ordnance survey maps, added a playful and authentic touch, creating a comprehensive and engaging visual narrative alongside a fun, Northern, QVC-style voiceover.
