In Olympic figure skating, the costumes act to add and accentuate the imagery the athletes create through their jumps and spins. The Winter Olympics in Beijing are in full swing right now, and the outfits have not disappointed. Here are some of VALLEY’s favorite fashion moments from this year’s events.
Karen Chen’s Purple Jeweled Dress
Chen skated to “Butterfly Lovers Concerto” in a purple dress with beads, rhinestones, sequins and appliques that were hand-placed by her mother. The dress, which was embellished with a butterfly-shaped rhinestone to match her performance song, sparkled during her free skate performance. With the skate, Chen helped the U.S. secure the silver in team figure skating.
Nathan Chen’s Custom Vera Wang
Chen wore a custom two-piece athletic stretch ensemble by Vera Wang. With an engineered galaxy print and black knit rib accents for the long program event, the outfit was a perfect match for his routine—a nearly flawless skate to a medley of Elton John songs, with a special emphasis on the hit song “Rocketman.” The skate secured Chen a gold medal for men’s figure skating singles.
Yuzuru Hanyu’s Fluttery Blue Top
Hanyu skated his much-anticipated Olympic return to Camille Saint-Saens’ “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso,” performed by Shinya Kiyozuka. He wore a lilac and pale blue ombre-dyed design with diagonal strips of silver and gold sequined chiffon, raw-cut hem details and a nude illusion neckline. The detailed top added fluttery interest as he performed and was worn with simple, clean pants.
Evan Bates and Madison Chock’s Robotic Fit
The pair performed to a curated medley of three songs from Daft Punk’s 2013 album, “Random Access Memories.” The medley began with the album’s wild closing track “Contact” and its driving arpeggiated rhythms then moved into “Within,” and ended with the orchestral finale of “Touch.” Their black and metallic costumes emanated a robotic vibe, fitting in nicely with their overall performance.
Did any other figure skating costumes from the Beijing games stand out to you? Tweet us, @VALLEYmag, and let us know!
