A Peacoat Posted on Facebook. Now 49 Design Has Two Calgary Stores Celebrating Indigenous Culture Every Day.
Jeron Rainy Chief didn't set out to open a clothing store. His husband Michael posted a peacoat design online, someone asked to buy it, and a business was born. Today 49 Design operates two Calgary locations and a growing online presence — built around one simple mission: making Indigenous culture loud, proud, and accessible.
August 6, 2026 · By Justin Plosz · Calgary, Alberta · Business · 6 min read read
It Wasn't Supposed to Be a Business
Jeron Rainy Chief is straightforward about how 49 Design started: it was an accident.
His husband, Michael Rainy Chief, is one of the brand's designers. One day Michael posted a photo of a peacoat he had made to Facebook — not an advertisement, not a sales pitch. Just a photo of something he had created. The comment that followed changed everything: "Oh, can you make me one of those?"
"He just posted it, and it just said, 'Hey, look, what I made' and someone said, 'Oh, can you make me one of those?' And then it just kind of grew from there," Jeron recalls.
What grew was a collaboration. Jeron brought the business acumen; Michael brought the design talent. The two combined their skills, started with an online operation, and watched the demand build until the next obvious step was a physical store.
But opening a store costs money, and timing matters. The first 49 Design Calgary storefront opened in northeast Calgary in August 2020 — directly into the teeth of the pandemic. Capacity limits cut into the Christmas season before they even found their footing. Customers would drive up, see the line, and leave. It was a difficult start by any measure.
They stayed open. They moved everything online when restrictions hit. They survived.
Rooted in the Kainai Nation and Treaty 7 Territory
Jeron Rainy Chief grew up on the Blood Reserve in southern Alberta, in the territory of the Kainai First Nation — one of the nations of the Blackfoot Confederacy, signatories to Treaty 7. His family lineage traces back to chiefs present at the signing of that treaty.
His great-great-grandmother Rosie Davis was a master beadwork artisan whose work is displayed in museums across North America. His great-grandmother Margaret Davis shaped his upbringing with a different kind of lesson: work hard, be fair with people, and do not be afraid of who you are.
Rainy Chief grew up in a small community with underlying racial tensions and learned early that pride in his identity was not something to apologize for. That conviction is baked into every aspect of 49 Design.
"Everything we do is around identity," he explains. "We like to hear when customers come to our store, what the designs mean to them. And they just voluntarily say what it means to them, and it's just great that there's that connection with people."
The designs at 49 Design are created by Indigenous digital artists who bring their own cultural traditions into the work. The result is clothing and fabric that carries meaning — not just pattern. Ribbon skirts. Indigenous-print streetwear. Activewear designed for people who want to carry their culture into everyday life, not just ceremony.
From One Store to a Community Hub
49 Design now operates two Calgary locations and a growing online store. But the physical stores are not simply retail spaces — they are intended to function as cultural environments.
Walk in and you are met with colour: clothing and fabric carrying designs that span from traditional to contemporary, from ribbon skirts to graphic streetwear. The store also sells fabric by the yard, so customers can take the materials home and make their own garments — an approach that extends the store's reach well beyond its own production.
Workshops run in-store on the history and cultural significance of the designs. Operations Manager Angela Allan, who helps lead the business alongside Rainy Chief, describes the educational component as inseparable from the retail one.
"It is not just about making something beautiful," she says. "It is about understanding why it matters."
Rainy Chief is explicit about who 49 Design is for — and who is welcome. "You do not have to be Indigenous to visit us," he says. "Come in, ask questions, learn about the culture. There is no judgment — just a desire to share."
In 2023, the Aboriginal Community Features in Calgary awarded Rainy Chief the Indigenous Business Builder Series award, recognizing his contribution to Indigenous entrepreneurship in southern Alberta. The Calgary Chamber of Commerce has featured 49 Design as a flagship example of what shopping local can mean when it is also shopping for community.
Why This Kind of Business Matters in Calgary Right Now
Canada has long celebrated Indigenous art and culture in galleries and festivals while doing considerably less to support Indigenous economic participation in the commercial mainstream. 49 Design is a direct answer to that gap — not through advocacy, but through a functioning retail business that puts Indigenous culture at the centre of everyday fashion.
"That's what we're pushing for — authenticity, representation, and Indigenous-owned content led by the community," Rainy Chief says.
The business reinvests locally. According to Angela Allan, dollars spent at 49 Design go toward employee paycheques, scholarships for Indigenous youth, and partnerships with organizations providing job training. This is not a side commitment — it is the model.
For Jeron Rainy Chief, the mission was set from the beginning. His great-grandmother told him not to be afraid of who you are. 49 Design, in its own way, is an attempt to make that easier for everyone who walks through the door — Indigenous or not.
Key takeaways
- 49 Design was founded by Jeron Rainy Chief of the Kainai First Nation after his husband Michael posted a peacoat design on Facebook and received an unexpected purchase request — it was never planned as a business.
- The first Calgary storefront opened in August 2020, directly during the pandemic, requiring the owners to pivot immediately to online sales to survive.
- The store sells ribbon skirts, Indigenous-print streetwear, activewear, and fabric by the yard, with all designs created by Indigenous digital artists who bring their own cultural traditions into their work.
- 49 Design runs in-store cultural workshops alongside retail sales, positioning the stores as community education spaces as much as clothing shops.
- Jeron Rainy Chief received the 2023 Indigenous Business Builder Series award from the Aboriginal Community Features in Calgary; the Calgary Chamber of Commerce has recognized 49 Design as a model of Indigenous entrepreneurship.
- The business reinvests locally through employee wages, Indigenous youth scholarships, and job-training partnerships — an approach the owners describe as inseparable from the retail mission.
Frequently asked questions
- Where are 49 Design stores in Calgary?
- 49 Design (also known as 49 Dzine) operates two locations in Calgary, Alberta, as well as an online store at 49dzine.ca that ships across North America. The business first opened in northeast Calgary in August 2020.
- Who owns 49 Design in Calgary?
- 49 Design is owned by Jeron Rainy Chief, a member of the Kainai First Nation from Treaty 7 territory in southern Alberta. His husband Michael Rainy Chief is one of the brand's primary designers. The business was started collaboratively after Michael posted a peacoat design on Facebook and received an unexpected purchase request.
- What does 49 Design sell?
- 49 Design sells Indigenous-designed clothing, fabric, and accessories including ribbon skirts, ribbon pants, Indigenous-print streetwear, activewear, and fabric by the yard. Designs are created by Indigenous digital artists and carry cultural meaning. The store also runs workshops on the history and significance of Indigenous design traditions.
- Is 49 Design only for Indigenous customers?
- No. 49 Design explicitly welcomes everyone. Owner Jeron Rainy Chief describes the store as an open invitation: 'You do not have to be Indigenous to visit us. Come in, ask questions, learn about the culture. There is no judgment — just a desire to share.' The store is intended as a bridge between communities as much as a retailer.
- Has 49 Design received any business recognition?
- Yes. In 2023, Jeron Rainy Chief received the Indigenous Business Builder Series award from the Aboriginal Community Features in Calgary. The Calgary Chamber of Commerce has featured 49 Design as a flagship example of Indigenous entrepreneurship and the impact of shopping local.
- Does 49 Design ship online?
- Yes. 49 Design operates an online store at 49dzine.ca that ships across North America. The online store carries clothing, fabric, accessories, and art with Indigenous designs.
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