Ever since Fjällräven was founded, we have a tradition of developing equipment for mountain and arctic environments. Each year, we venture out on winter adventures to find new solutions and improve existing ones. For example, it was in a bivouac in the northern Sweden ski station of Abisko that the idea for a jacket so warm it would be impossible to freeze in was thought up by Fjällräven’s founder Åke Nordin. Shortly thereafter, the Expedition Down Jacket saw the light of day. The year was 1974 and to this day, the jacket is a favourite among many Scandinavians. On our outings, we often discover ‘room for improvements’, things that are missing, or solutions that can be improved.


One of many winter adventures. This one took place in Sylarna in Jämtland.

Sometimes we turn to people with special skills to develop products for a specific purpose. Other times it’s more of a coincidence. A meeting with native-Sami Nils Anders Blind, in the town of Kiruna was the spark to an idea for a new kind of outdoor clothing – with ancient ancestors.


Nils Anders Blind who helped us develop the Luhkka Cape.

Nils Anders was wearing a traditional Sami luhkka when he met with our CEO, who immediately thought ‘wow, this is interesting!’ Some time later one of our product developers and I made a trip up to Lapland to meet Nils Anders and learn more about native-Sami
traditions and ways of dressing. It was really exciting.. The result of the collaboration was the Luhkka Cape, which will hit stores in the autumn of 2011. The idea is that it will act as a covering garment for really cold days on top of normal winter clothing – just as the Sami traditionally used the luhkka when they skied with their reindeer. The name luhkka means bad weather collar, which says a lot about its use.

Together with Nils Anders, we have developed the Sami model, extended it slightly and put buttons on the side to help keep out the wind. And our luhkka does not have the pointed hood that the original garment used, so that the snow would slide off. We believe that today’s users will feel more comfortable with a regular large hood.


This image was taken when we joined Nils Anders during the reindeer gathering in the little sami village of Rensjön, 30 km north of Kiruna.


The Luhkka cape will be in stores winter 2011.