Leading up to the premiere of Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi later this month, this Friday fans of The Empire Strikes Back (and who isn’t?) will have a brief opportunity to fulfill a childhood dream. What kid in the 1980s didn’t wish he had Han Solo’s parka? If you were lucky enough to already have your own parka, then you gained a certain higher status with your friends on the playground. Anyone who wanted to have their own tauntaun and Snowspeeder can have the next best thing this week, their own real-world coat to keep warm this winter, inspired by Commander Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, and Captain Han Solo’s coats from the Rebel’s Echo Base. Sorry, no Chewbacca faux fur coat is available.
To commemorate the release of The Empire Strikes Back in 1980, Columbia Sportswear worked with Lucasfilm to give buyers a look and feel similar to the real thing, with only 1,980 jackets available for sale for each style. For the basic collection, the Han Solo parka will be blue, because that is what fans remember and how it appeared to most viewers on the screen (following Rogue One director Gareth Edwards’ philosophy of re-creating what you remember instead of what the originals exactly looked like). For more discriminating fans, Columbia is releasing an undisclosed but far lesser number of special Han Solo parkas in a dark brown color closer to the original coat in the Lucasfilm archives at Skywalker Ranch. The standard Luke, Leia, and Han coats will be sold at $400, but the special Han coat will be released at $1,980, and will include a hand-signed (Han signed?) Harrison Ford autograph on the front. The jackets will be available in limited quantities at the Columbia website here at 12:01 a.m. EST and at store opening in Columbia branded retail locations in the United States, Canada, Europe, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea.
This is the second year Columbia is releasing an exclusive line of Star Wars-inspired clothing. Last year in advance of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Columbia released a $400 Jyn Erso Resistance jacket and a $500 Captain Cassian Andor Resistance parka. Don’t look for any replicas from Columbia very soon from The Last Jedi, but here are the descriptions of the four styles offered:
Leia Organa Echo Base Jacket. Stand fearless against both the Empire and the ice planet Hoth with the limited-edition Leia Organa Echo Base jacket. Inspired by Leia’s original costume featured in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, this versatile jacket and vest combination is crafted of a durable, water-resistant, cotton-blend fabric and insulated with Omni-Heat Reflective lining. With a vintage look, flattering feminine fit, and eye-catching details—including stowable hood, princess seam piping, and gusset sleeves—you’ll stay comfortable and confident whether you’re taking on the elements or staring down a Star Destroyer in a galaxy far, far away.
Luke Skywalker Echo Base Jacket. The limited-edition Luke Skywalker Echo Base jacket will keep you warmer than a tauntaun while you take on the Empire. This durable cotton-blend, water-resistant jacket and vest combination with a stowable hood is inspired by Luke’s original Hoth costume in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and features Omni-Heat Reflective insulation to conserve body heat. You’ll stay warm and dry whether you’re patrolling an ice planet or getting ready for a duel with your father.
Han Solo Echo Base Parka (blue). When cold weather hits, the limited-edition Han Solo Echo Base parka will keep you warmer than a hug from your favorite Wookiee. Crafted of durable water-resistant, cotton-blend fabric and insulated with Omni-Heat Reflective lining, it’s a lot like Han—rugged and durable on the outside, warm and full of surprises on the inside. Inspired by Han’s original Hoth jacket in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, the jacket features multiple closures, a leather Rebel patch, and quilted faux-fur trimmed hood to allow you to slip past bounty hunters incognito whether you’re on ice planet Hoth or closer to home.
Han Solo Archive Edition Echo Base Parka (dark brown). Columbia has collaborated with Harrison Ford in this endeavor to raise funds for Conservation International, a global organization dedicated to the protection of nature. Harrison hand-signed each of these brown Han Solo Archive Edition parkas, and Columbia will donate 100% of the proceeds from their sale to Conservation International.
Remember to act fast this Friday only as these will sell out quickly. More information can be found at the Columbia website here.
C.J. Bunce
Editor
borg.com
