Seattle Torrent defender Mariah Keopple seamlessly blends her hockey prowess with fashion design, using her label to celebrate athletic and creative expression.
SEATTLE — When she’s not battling opponents on the ice, Seattle Torrent defender Mariah Keopple is creating statement pieces for the runway. The professional hockey player has emerged as an unexpected force in the fashion world, proving that athletic prowess and creative design can coexist seamlessly.
“I always say it’s kind of like my childhood creativity coming into fruition,” Keopple said.
While some might see her dual pursuits as living separate lives, Keopple believes fashion and sports are natural complements to one another.
“A lot to do with sport is expressing who you are through your sport and I think a lot of people find a true identity through their sport and a lot of people are forming the two together because the thing is, you get dressed every single day and you are expressing yourself every single day through clothing,” she explained.
Keopple’s fashion sense hasn’t gone unnoticed by Torrent fans, who regularly admire her game day outfits. Her custom creations showcase her hands-on approach to design.
“This is like one of my favorites. It’s top to bottom something that I made and I made it out of sweatshirt fleece, which is really cool,” Keopple said of one particular ensemble.
Those same eye-catching pieces recently made their way from the arena to the catwalk during her debut runway show, Fashion in Flight. The timing couldn’t have been more challenging—or more exciting.
“It was crazy because it was the second day of training camp too,” she recalled.
Despite the hectic schedule, the show went remarkably smoothly.
“I tell everyone that it all went so well. The one thing that went wrong was a pair of shoes didn’t fit and she wore her own. Like, if that’s the only issue that I have, I think I did pretty well,” Keopple said.
Whether strutting into the arena or sliding onto the ice, Keopple brings authenticity to everything she does. Through her brand, Riah the Label, she aims to create clothing that serves a specific, often underserved market.
“What I really want from Riah is built for the built body, built for the athlete. And an athlete doesn’t need to mean that you play a sport, you can be working out or just be very fitness forward and being able to fit everyone,” she said.
With professional sports careers having limited timespans, Keopple is already looking ahead to a future in fashion design. But for now, she’s making the most of combining both passions—proving that hockey and high fashion are, indeed, a perfect fit.