Helly Hansen's cutting-edge HH-118389225 sub-label may not have a catchy name but who needs it with gear this good? "Capsule 221" (Spring/Summer 2022, for us laymen) comprises a cohesive range of hardy weather-fighting gear designed to combat the chill of a Norwegian summer, realized in hues inspired by the country's stunning natural landscape.
Over 140 years old, Helly Hansen is one of Norway's oldest companies but HH-118389225 is strikingly contemporary. Taking cues from mainline HH's “ÆGIR” line and the mountain ranges that dot Northwestern Norway.
Thus, Capsule 221 is designed for a very brisk definition of summer, with loads of three-layer shell jackets fitted with taped seams, interchangeable modular hoods, and removable layers.
"The starting point for the 221 collection was developing the role the Ægir offshore collection plays within the HH-118389225 ecosystem," HH-118389225 design director Dorte Vedal said. "HH-118389225 operates outside the norm of Helly Hansen’s inline products. And we can fully explore this freedom through color, print and shape."
"It is a place for us to explore, experiment and develop with one foot in a fashion universe and the other in the outdoors, whilst ensuring we remain true to the brand’s core principles."
The lynchpin of HH-118389225's new line is the HH ARC 3L Modular Coat, a transforming piece of outerwear that can be worn three different ways.
This bad boy is fitted with a removable gilet and panels, the former of which is infused with the Helly Hansen H2Flow "temperature regulation system," which basically refers its ability to store warm air for insulation or release the warmth via ventilation zippers.
Smocks, jackets, shirts, pants, and shorts are all fitted with windproof textiles and those same waterproof vent zippers that allow for easy acclimation to the climate, all executed in pale pastels and versatile neutrals that make for easy mix 'n match styling.
"The connection with Norway’s rugged yet startling beauty cannot be underemphasized, as this is the land that has formed and shaped the Helly Hansen brand over the last 145 years," artistic director Graeme Gaughan explained.
"The dusty lilac tones within the range were actually inspired by the sedimentary rocks that lie below the surface of glacier lakes most of the year, and which are exposed as the water retreats in the winter. The purity of the water leaves an alien pink shimmer to the rocks for short periods of time until the ice melts and consumes them again in the summer."
