HC Vita Hästen is a Swedish ice hockey club based in Norrköping. The club’s name translates literally to “The White Horse,” a nickname that originated from the 1967 merger of the ice hockey sections of IFK Norrköping and IK Sleipner. IFK Norrköping played in white jerseys, and Sleipner was the name of Odin’s horse in Norse mythology, so the merged club soon became known as “vita hästen.” The nickname became so established that it was adopted as the official club name in 1973. [1]
Design and History
The current club, HC Vita Hästen, was founded after the bankruptcy of the original IK Vita Hästen in 1996. The new organization initially operated under names such as Norrköping Hockey, NSH-96, and Hästen Hockey before retaking the Vita Hästen name in 2007. The league required the club to use “HC Vita Hästen” rather than “IK Vita Hästen” to avoid confusion with the earlier incarnation. [2]
In 2023, the club filed for bankruptcy and lost its place in HockeyAllsvenskan, dropping to a lower division. [3] During the restart season, the club played temporarily in old black jerseys while waiting for new uniforms. Captain Jesper Samuelsson described the planned look as a “retro-look,” with white home jerseys because “we are Vita Hästen” and red as the alternate set. [4]
The club’s visual identity was updated by the Norrköping-based design agency Beegleton. Working through workshops with the club, the agency developed an updated graphic profile that included a revised logotype, new colors, typography, graphic elements, and photography. A new image bank was also created alongside the graphic manual. [5]
Meaning and Symbolism
The club’s emblem has been documented in photographs taken before home matches at Himmelstalundshallen, the team’s arena in Norrköping. [6] The club’s traditional colors are red and white, as listed in historical club records. [7] The white horse motif directly references the club’s name and its origin story, connecting the visual identity to the merger of IFK Norrköping’s white jerseys and IK Sleipner’s mythological horse association. [1]
Logo Index is an independent educational archive covering logos, visual identities and graphic design history. All trademarks and brand assets remain the property of their respective owners.
