The History Of Berghaus
THE HISTORY OF BERGHAUS
FOUNDATION & INCORPORATION
In 1966, two keen mountaineers called Peter Lockey and Gordon Davison from Newcastle found themselves frustrated with the lack of adequate hiking gear available in their region of the UK. This pushed them to establish their own specialist outdoor shop, titled ‘LD Mountain Centre’ where they would import and the best gear the world had to offer to experienced outdoorsmen/women. They were the first shop in the country to stock many iconic pieces of hiking gear such as the original SCARPA boots.
As time went on and the two founders had more money to play with, they began to experiment with designs and materials, planning to release their own line of outdoor wear. On release, their innovative own line turned out to be a hit with customers. They called it Berghaus, meaning ‘Mountain House’ in German.
INNOVATION
Once the owners had established this solid foundation, their growth was reliant on consistent improvement and innovation. Their first thriving range was their rucksacks, releasing in 1972 which offered users a comfortable storage option with padding and carefully designed chambers, meaning that weight could be distributed optimally.
From here, they began a successful range of coats, trousers and niche products that implemented breathable GORE-TEX, the first of their kind, placing Berghaus at the top of the innovation mountain in the outdoor industry.
In 1986 after many years of successful growth and new products, Berghaus launched their first line of women’s wear. Designed through collaboration with female adventurers, Berghaus aimed to meet the differing needs of women.
STREETWEAR
In recent times, Berghaus has emerged in the UK streetwear scene. The bright primary coloured vintage raincoats are popular among alternative youth, serving as a low cost, practical and stylish solution to the British weather. Their newer coats are also popular among those dressing in the ‘roadman’ style, with big black designer puffer jackets serving as a staple in the trend.
Berghaus have won award after award over the years, some granted to them by the Queen, the Design Council of Great Britain and the ISPO. Their logo has become synonymous with quality, proven by how so many of their older products work perfectly today.