Supreme Court Justices Swap ‘Santa Robes’ for Modern Style at Opening Ceremony

Heavy, hot, and unabashedly bright-red, the traditional robes of Canada’s Supreme Court were fondly called “Santa robes,” but the legal body’s opening ceremony last week has unveiled a new, more modern look.

The iconic red suits with white mink fur trim have been replaced by simple white collars over black robes with red piping. The new design made its debut Oct. 6 as the Supreme Court marked its 150th anniversary and the opening of a new judicial year.

“Many of you will have noticed that my colleagues and I are not wearing our usual red robes,” Chief Justice Richard Wagner said from the Supreme Court building at the ceremony. “Instead, we are wearing new robes which preserve the dignity and authority of the judicial role. They have a modern and simple design that echoes our commitment to openness and accessibility in a way that is distinctly Canadian.”

Wagner said the new black design was not merely an aesthetic choice, but that the made-in-Quebec gowns were intended to strike a balance between weighty tradition on one hand, and openness to future legal developments on the other. Additionally, they reflect openness and accessibility as well as Canadian values, according to Wagner.

Of course, the traditional red robes weren’t the day-to-day garb worn by Canada’s Supreme Court. Justices donned black robes when working, while the “Santa suits” were for special ceremonies, such as visits from the king or the welcoming-in of new judges.

With the advent of modern heating and ventilation, though, the red robes acquired critics from among the judges.

“Am I allowed to say they’re awful?” Justice Andromache Karakatsanis said during a CPAC interview in 2016. “They’re so hot. They’re heavy. At some point there’s two or three layers of fur. I’m glad that we wear it only for ceremonial events. I’m not sure that I could do it every day.”

However, Justice Suzanne Côté came to the defence of both the red garment and tradition.

“I think that we have some traditions. We need to keep these traditions, for instance when we wear our red robes for official events and things like that,” Côté said. “Given the type of institution that the court is, the court deserves respect and I think that you can reach that when you have some sort of decorum and tradition.”