Shackleton x Leica: Frank Hurley Photographer's Jacket
Introducing the world's first expedition photographer's jacket. Designed to help photographers capture the extreme. A collaboration between Shackleton and Leica Camera AG.
The cold has a drastic effect on camera gear and presents photographers with numerous physical and mental challenges. To combat this, outerwear performance-wear brand Shackleton has launched the world’s first extreme-weather photographer’s jacket, the Frank Hurley, in association with Leica Camera AG, the internationally-operating, premium- segment manufacturer of cameras and sport optics products.
Drawing on their experience in lightweight, expedition-grade parkas, Shackleton took insights from various professionals, including expedition photographer Martin Hartley, who has spent more than 365 days on major polar expeditions. The mission was to design a jacket that empowered photographers to continue shooting through the coldest winter months, capturing moments that only the brave witness.
The Frank Hurley Photographer’s Jacket has been engineered with 800 fill-power goose down and a graphene lining to function down to -25ºC, while the bespoke features specified by Hartley and others enhance performance when it really matters. Its ergonomic, lightweight design allows complete freedom of movement when lifting the camera and there are 15 functional pockets, including easy-access pockets for batteries, positioned to use body warmth to prolong life, and a collapsible external drop-pocket large enough for a camera and lens.
The jacket is named after pioneering photographer Frank Hurley, who documented Ernest Shackleton’s 1914-17 Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. He persevered for months in brutal conditions to capture his iconic images and defined early Antarctic exploration to the world. A century on, his name still motivates others to endure the elements and freeze moments in time.
Martin Brooks, CEO of Shackleton, said: “It’s Shackleton’s mission to equip pioneers in the world’s most extreme places – the Frank Hurley Photographer’s Jacket is a great example of partnering with the very best to develop a world first. Every feature of this jacket has been designed and engineered according to detailed insight from photographers who really know what’s required to survive and thrive in the extremes.
Steffen Keil, Director of Brand Relations at Leica, said: “The Frank Hurley Photographer’s Jacket is a clever piece of professional engineering, designed to enable photographers to keep shooting in the most challenging weather imaginable. I am sure it will contribute to the creation of some incredible images while protecting photographers from the extremes.”