Marissa Schwartz on Costuming Character and Class Difference in ‘Sterling Point’

Shot and set in Muskoka, Canada, “Sterling Point” follows teenagers Annie (Ella Rubin) and Ramona (Amélie Hoeferle) as they transition from strangerdom to sisterhood. Upon introduction, the two girls could not be more aesthetically distinct. Accessorized in Chanel, Manhattanite Annie looks ready to hop on a networking call at any given moment, while her estranged sister Ramona sports pared-down basics likely lifted from her grandfather’s closet.

Schwartz sourced “Sterling Point’s” abundant vintage selection from local thrift shops around Toronto, Muskoka, and in some cases, Value Village. “Thrifting is such a massive part of fashion today and it's a great way to showcase personal taste,” Schwartz says. The costume designer let her personal experience of going to summer camp in Muskoka every year to guide the crunchy silhouettes that the Muskoka locals sport. “Everyone wants to look cool, but we are in the most comfortable version of our clothing because like we're out in the woods,” she says, citing Birkenstocks as an example of a quintessential camp shoe.

Born and raised around the island, Oona (Bo Bragason) and Ramona come from the same world but have very distinct styles. “Oona's from the UK so we wanted to infuse a bit of culture, travel, and collectibility [into her closet],” Schwartz says. “She's a character who, if I'm gonna borrow language from the Brits, takes a piss out of everybody—and she's super confident and comfortable in her sexuality.” Oona’s strong personality is most strongly felt in her raunchy graphics, like a sweatshirt Schwartz stumbled across at Clutter Porch in Muskoka, that reads “PMS Putting Up with Men’s Shit.” “She's not poking fun at just men; it's everybody,” Schwartz explains, citing how she wears a T-shirt that says ‘if it has tits and tires, it's bound to cause problems’ in the next episode.

Ramona takes less risks in her fashion, and sports far fewer accessories. But the character is far from styleless. “There's a functionality and a practicality that we wanted to come through,” Schwartz says, explaining how many of the pieces were made to look like they could have belonged to her grandfather. In one episode, Ramona wears a pair of Dickies that are fully painted, as though they helped assist a painting job in the cottage. 

Cognizant of Ramona and Oona’s romance arc, Schwartz went to great lengths to ensure that each girl had an individual style informed by their upbringing, and inspired by the queer people in Schwartz's life. “When you're dealing with queer characters, it's very easy to box them into one aesthetic and it was really important to me, Amelie, and Bo to make them feel really dynamic and lived in.” One of Oona’s calling cards is her extensive selection of layered necklaces and silver rings, sourced in and around Toronto. As a self-described “jewelry maximalist,” Schwartz was eager to apply a more-is-more approach to accessorizing on a character, but it needed to be the right one. “Not everything you see in the world translates to every person,” Schwartz explains. “And so I remember meeting Bo, and she had such a rock and roll kind of look and vibe, and it was just a lot of play.”

For the wealthier characters on the island, Schwartz leaned on niche designer labels, from Bode to a limited edition collab between Seasonal Resident and a local Muskoka grocer.”The name says everything about what that's all about. It's this very bougie, gorgeous store with amazing bait,” Schwartz says. “My cousin, who is literally a Muskoka farmer, would text me and be like, I can't afford this $300 sweatshirt, I don't know anyone that can, but I bet your rich, privileged kid could. You have to put this [sweatshirt] in the show.” Lo and behold, Rory (Daniel Quinn Toye) sports the sweatshirt. 

As Annie spends more time on the island, her style starts to acclimate to that of her sister and mother, drifting farther and farther from the world of Rory and her twin brother. The evolution is first felt in episode three when Annie borrows her adoptive mothers purple Le Chateau bodycon—selected to mimic a look from the early nineties Calvin Klein runway—-for a party in the cottage. By the end of the series. Annie and Ramona are interchangeably sharing clogs, and Annie ends the series in her mom’s brown wool sweater, obviously vintage. 

Marissa Schwartz’s Guide to Toronto Vintage 

Kensington Flea Market: “It's curated, but to a degree that it feels like you're still digging and hunting for a really good find.”

Smoking Vintage: Schwartz suggests paroozing the $30 dollar rack from this small, woman-owned boutique. 

Courage My Love: Many of Oona's rings came from the shop’s extensive jewelry selection.

Nouveau Riche Vintage: “She's for the gays, so it was really fun to pour into that resource”