Sask. curler and designer creates jerseys for 2024 Scotties, Brier and World Championships

A competitive curler from Regina, who is also a freelance creative director and interdisciplinary designer, was hired to create apparel for this year's championships. 

Stephanie Schmidt was hired as a professional designer to create team wear and fan apparel for this years’ Montana's Brier and Scotties Tournament of Hearts. She also went on to create Team Canada’s look at this years’ Curling World Championships.

“It was a really extraordinary opportunity to get asked to do the Scotties and Brier jerseys. It was just this beautiful collision of my worlds coming together of design and curling at the same time,” Schmidt excitedly shared.

It is not her first time getting involved with fashion in sports as she was a part of the Grey Cup design team when Regina played host in 2022. Schmidt worked on a number of different brand elements for the event and was a designer for the Saskatchewan Roughriders during that time.

“Love sports moment,” she said. “Anytime design and sports can collide, I’m here for that.”

Schmidt currently throws fourth stones for Michelle Englot’s rink. She has competed at four Scotties tournaments alongside familiar names in Stefanie Lawton and Chelsea Carey. She said her background in the sport is what helped her land the gig for this year’s design team.

“My exposure being a competitive curler, you get to know all of these people in these spaces. So Goldline (Curling Supplies) had actually reached out to me, so I knew them really well. It was kind of a great opportunity for me to bring my perspective as a competitive curler but also a professional designer and see what we could come up with for the Scotties and Brier,” Schmidt said.

Stephanie Schmidt, a competitive curler from Regina, is also a designer who was hired to create apparel for tournaments. (Photo courtesy: Stephanie Schmidt) As a curler herself, Schmidt has worn a number of jerseys over the years and said that helped when creating the designs for this year. She also looked to other sports, the history of curling, and even how the game was broadcast as inspiration.

“Goldline and I sat down and we really looked at how much curling has changed in the last few years and this extraordinary athleticism that’s happening in the game. It’s also being broadcast all over the world now. Curling is so accessible to everyone,” Schmidt explained.

Schmidt explained that she learned when broadcasting started coming into people’s homes, it was black and white.

“So suddenly the design of the jersey coming on in black and white on a television was so important. So we went with this ‘traditional varsity’ theme that had this really nostalgic feel,” she said.

Schmidt added it captured the homey and cozy feel for curling fans and was also a nod to where curling is going and where the sport has been.

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Since the Brier was hosted in her home province of Saskatchewan this year, she knew creating the green jerseys was an important task.

“There was a little bit of extra pressure with the Brier being in Regina. I was like, ‘We really have to nail the green,’ so we picked this beautiful, vibrant green colour that I think really captured the atmosphere and the excitement the city had,” she shared. “Especially with Team Saskatchewan making the final, I was really excited to see the vibrancy of the green on the ice and that was maybe my most favourite.”

Schmidt worked around the clock for months to nail the final design for the championships. There were 18 different team designs she had to create which meant 18 different colour combinations and palettes to work with.

She even created hidden ‘Easter eggs’ inside the jackets for only the players to see. That included putting ‘With glowing hearts we see thee rise’ from the national anthem on the inside collar.

“I think as a player, it was just that little extra thing I could do to let them know this is a really special moment and this jacket is really special. And it was a nod to just them,” Schmidt said.

Her thoughtful and hard work paid off as The ‘Northern Lights’ jersey that Team Canada wore at the World Championships was the best selling jacket of all time that Curling Canada has had. Fans were able to purchase it and customize the jacket to put their own name on it.

“This is a dream come true that I didn’t even know was possible. I’m so honoured to get this opportunity and I’m really excited to see where else this will take me in the sports fashion world,” she exclaimed.

Schmidt can be found on Instagram and online.