Profile: Lapel Pins – 1990 Skate Canada, Lethbridge, Canada

By 1990, Sun Life was in its third year as the title sponsor of North America’s oldest international figure skating invitational. Bearing a logo that appears to be a hybrid of a snowflake and an asterisk, the 1990 Skate Canada event, held in Lethbridge, Alberta, was commemorated with pins that mimicked those of the two prior years. So even though the legacy Skate Canada brand that had become so familiar and successful had been retired, a new brand was emerging. But would that brand last? Find out later in this blog. At least two different pins marked the 1990 Skate Canada event: a main logo pin and another to commemorate the Artistic Fours competition.

Situated in southern Alberta, the city of Lethbridge welcomed competitors from around the world and staged a significant international sports event, which was no small feat for what was, at the time, a relatively small community of approximately 60,000. A western theme prevailed at Skate Canada, as one could imagine in the land of rodeos and cowboy boots of Alberta. Even the event’s closing banquet was a barbecue—a true western experience but done, no doubt, in fashionable Canadian style.

Featuring less style are the event pins from 1990 Skate Canada. Showing first in the gallery is the main logo pin that is pleasing enough in its own right but less colorful than its 1988 Skate Canada and 1989 Skate Canada counterparts. The snowflake/asterisk logo appears in gold at the center of the pin on a black background with a slightly textured surface. Along the top are the sponsor and event names: “Sun Life Skate Canada.” In a tip of the hat to the past, the legacy skater logo that defined the Skate Canada brand for nearly two decades is tucked—nearly microscopically—between the sponsor and event names. Angled along a portion of the lower right corner is the word “International”; its positioning, disconnected from the rest of the event name, is less successful here design-wise than on either the 1988 or 1989 pins, and neither of those was particularly well done (the formal event name being, of course, “Skate Canada International”). At the very bottom are the event location and year: “Lethbridge 1990.” On a gold-color base metal, all artwork and type is in gold in relief. The pin measures approximately 1″ square (2.5 cm square).

In a tip of the hat to the past, the legacy skater logo that defined the Skate Canada brand for nearly two decades is tucked—nearly microscopically—between the sponsor and event names.

Next in the gallery is the Artistic Fours pin issued to commemorate the competition where two pairs teams perform simultaneously. Displaying some of the same branding elements seen on the logo pin, this pin is strikingly different in color, featuring an unusual and vivid magenta background with lettering and artwork in silver. A thin, clear epoxy covers the surface. Several differences are seen when compared to the logo pin: the legacy stylized skater is used in a larger size proportionally, the font used for the sponsor and event names is subtly different, the location of Lethbridge is not included, and the pin is undated. Probably most noticeable, and curiously, is the absence of the word “International.” The snowflake/asterisk logo anchors the pin at the center, and below is the special designation: “Artistic Fours.” On a silver-color base metal, the pin measures approximately 7/8″ x 1‑3/8″ (2.2 cm x 3.5 cm).

In an interesting turn for a figure skating event that pioneered the concept of a brand, the snowflake/asterisk logo would also fade into history. Used only from 1988 through 1990, it was subsequently replaced with a series of random designs, some of which incorporated a sunrise element. Sun Life continued to be titular sponsor of the event through the 1990s, but Skate Canada never again returned to having a singular, established brand.

Enjoy this week’s figure skating pins blog: 1990 Skate Canada Pins: Figure Skating and a Barbecue. And be sure to read the museum story for more information about figure skating pins.

Pins Gallery: 1990 Skate Canada

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