The announcement that 66°North has been appointed the official clothing sponsor for Team Iceland at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games comes at a particularly resonant time as the brand approaches its centennial. There is poetic symmetry in a company founded to protect fishermen from the elements of the North Atlantic now turning its attention to athletes who must perform in the bitter cold of the Italian Alps. For a label that has spent a century perfecting warmth and durability, this partnership validates its core ethos: Function executed with precision possesses inherent elegance.
A century of Icelandic survival wear and Olympic heritage
Helgi Óskarsson, the brand’s chief executive officer, characterized the sponsorship as a significant milestone in the company’s history. While the label has outfitted the national team for previous competitions, most notably in Lillehammer in 1994 and Nagano in 1998, this renewal of vows feels different. It comes at a time when the fashion industry is increasingly obsessed with “gorpcore” and the outdoors aesthetic, often divorcing the look from its intended purpose. 66°North, however, cannot afford such a separation. The company’s legitimacy rests on the fact that its garments are designed for survival first and style second.
The collection, which will be unveiled alongside a celebratory dinner during Copenhagen Fashion Week, includes attire for the February 6 opening ceremony, as well as gear for training and downtime between competitions. The brand is offering its best-selling items, such as the Hornstrandir jacket and pants. These pieces have earned their reputation not on runways, but on the backs of people skiing, hiking, and navigating the unpredictable Icelandic terrain. While customized for the Olympic stage, these items remain recognizable as tools of the trade rather than mere costumes.
Performance-driven design and the strategic Hoka partnership
To address the complexities of footwear, 66°North has partnered with Hoka to supply the athletes. This collaboration coincides with the Icelandic brand becoming a stockist for Hoka, a pragmatic rather than purely commercial move. Athletes will wear the Hoka Kaha 2 Frost Moc Gore-Tex, a choice that highlights a mutual dedication to technical performance. It acknowledges that while one brand masters the body, another masters the ground – and a smart company knows when to call in an ally.
The scope of this project extends to the Paralympic team as well. In a digital campaign emphasizing human resilience, the brand features Arna Sigríður Albertsdóttir, an Icelandic para-athlete and handcyclist. By placing her at the center of their visual communication, the company broadens the definition of who these clothes are for. They are for the fishermen of 1926, the mountaineers of 2013, and the elite competitors of 2026.
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From national uniform to global cultural export
There is also a commercial component inviting the public to participate in this national moment. A limited-edition merchandise capsule consisting of items like beanies and a shell suit will be available exclusively in Iceland. With prices ranging from €43 to €595, the collection spans the gap between affordable souvenirs and significant investment pieces. This strategy enables the brand to maintain its premium positioning while offering a token of national pride to a wider audience.
Last year, the company presented a retrospective at Copenhagen Fashion Week, tracing its evolution from a workwear provider to a modern outerwear brand. The exhibition included a fisherman’s jacket from the 1960s and the suit Leifur Örn Svavarsson wore on Mount Everest. The through-line is clear. The uniform for the 2026 Games is simply the latest chapter in a long exploration of how humanity protects itself from the outside world. When the Icelandic team walks into the stadium in Milan, they will be wearing more than just a uniform – they will be wearing a century of adaptation.