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You're listening to Eureka on Monocle Radio.
Brought to you by the team behind the entrepreneurs.
The show all about inspiring people, innovative companies and fresh ideas in global business.
Laura I'm Laura Kramer.
Helgi oskarsson is the CEO of 66 north, an Icelandic outerwear company founded in 1926 to craft durable protective gear for the country's fishermen braving brutal conditions at Sea.
Today, 66 north is a global brand known for producing practical, long lasting garments designed to withstand the coldest climates and toughest conditions, no matter the location.
After 13 years leading the company, Helgi has expanded 66 north beyond Iceland, opening stores in Copenhagen and London.
In celebration of its 99th anniversary, the company will host a special exhibition during Copenhagen Fashion Week showcasing its history and rich heritage.
So how do you keep things fresh and innovative at a nearly century old brand?
And how do you expand globally while staying true to your central ethos?
Here's Helgi with more on how the journey began.
My name is Helgi Oskarsson.
I'm from Iceland, born and raised there.
I'm one of the owners of 66 north and the CEO of the company for the last 13 years.
We're celebrating our 99th birthday this year.
We are a very slow fashion company.
So many of the styles that we still produce today were first introduced decades ago and we kind of tweaked them and evolved them of course.
But we started making clothes for Icelandic fishermen back in 1926.
Then it evolved.