Norway Crew Parka
Norwegian unit
The limited-edition parka based on the ones the cast and the crew filming Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back in Finse, Norway wore on the set in 1979.
The story behind the jacket told by Columbia
In 1979, a small but hardy group of cast and crew were on location in the frigid wilderness of Norway accessible only by rail. There, they would film the iconic scenes from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back set on the ice planet Hoth.
The producers knew that the bitter cold and breathtaking expanses of Hoth couldn’t be replicated on a sound stage, and they searched the globe for a location where the audience could feel the cold. They identified the Hardangerjøkulen Glacier near the small town of Finse, Norway as the ideal setting for the epic scenes. For several weeks that winter, the close-knit group of actors, crew, and hired locals filmed Tauntaun scouting missions, Wampa attacks, and an epic battle between Rebel snowspeeders and Imperial AT-AT walkers on the frozen tundra.
FINSE 1979 — Filming at the back of the hotel.
The conditions were brutally cold. The cast and crew needed serious winter gear to keep them protected on the treacherous terrain, and in icy winds, white-out blizzards, and subzero temperatures. They looked to Norwegian designer Per Frølich Poppe to create a jacket that would stand up to the harsh conditions and stand out with a design unique to the shoot. It’s estimated that fewer than 100 of the original jackets were made and the few that remain have become treasured memorabilia for serious Star Wars fans.
Having previously collaborated on exclusive Star Wars-inspired Columbia gear, Columbia designers jumped at the chance to bring you behind rebel lines — and deep behind-the-scenes — by offering the limited-edition Star WarsEmpire™ Crew Parka modeled directly after the original.
But what makes collectors’ hearts beat faster are meticulously recreated details like the bold blue design, shoulder stripes for heightened visibility, the Darth Vader chest patch, Star Wars logos, and a removable and customizable name plate on the chest pocket. And to honor the exact location where the intrepid cast and crew braved sub-zero temperatures to film some of the most memorable scenes on film, we’ve incorporated the coordinates of the Hardangerjøkulen Glacier into the lining of the jacket.
“I remember picking up Harrison Ford at the airport. He came out in jeans, a T-shirt, and small jacket. It was about minus 20 degrees, and he was very happy getting the bag with all this gear.”
The original SKI-PEER jacket from 1979 (photo: Andreas Frølich)
Photo: Per Frölich Poppe
