A Montreal streetwear company has received recognition for supplying the original white fleece that was transformed into a popular jacket worn in the TV series “Heated Rivalry.” Yaniv Abecassis, CEO of Kuwalla Tee, shared how their jacket, featured in the show with custom embellishments, gained attention across Canada. Despite this, Kuwalla Tee did not receive acknowledgment for their contribution.
The modified jacket, designed by Canadian costume designer Hanna Puley, featured distinct elements such as ‘Canada’ in red lettering, red accents on the collar and zipper pulls, and maple leaves on the sleeves. The character Shane Hollander, portrayed by Hudson Williams, donned the zip-up jacket during scenes set at the Sochi Olympics.
Following demands from fans to purchase the fleece, the show’s creators partnered with Province of Canada, a Canadian clothing company, to make the jacket more widely available. However, Kuwalla Tee raised concerns that their fleece was being used to promote the new product without proper credit.
Abecassis mentioned that while Kuwalla Tee appreciated the enhancements made to the fleece for the show, they took issue with the lack of recognition and the commercialization of their product without consent. Despite private attempts to resolve the matter, Kuwalla Tee’s concerns were not addressed until CBC News intervened.
The production company clarified that the fleece design shown in promotional materials was not final and emphasized that the official product would be made in Canada by Province of Canada. Kuwalla Tee’s products, on the other hand, are designed in Montreal but produced overseas.
After negotiations, an agreement was reached, and Kuwalla Tee was credited by “Heated Rivalry” TV and Province of Canada on social media posts featuring the cream fleece jacket. Legal expert Richard Gold stated that while Kuwalla Tee may have wanted exclusivity for their fleece, the value of the jacket stemmed from its association with the TV series rather than the company itself.
