Wrapping up my COSTUMES RECAP of this past weekend's Grand Prix of Figure Skating Audi Cup of China 2017, I've discussed the LADIES COSTUMES HERE, the MEN'S COSTUMES HERE and now it's time to talk about the PAIRS and ICE DANCE. Let's begin with the...

PAIRS:
Valentina Marchei and Ondrej Hotarek of Italy: Marchei and Hotarek skated their Short Program to Tu vuo fa l'Americano by Renato Carosone. The music and program  was SOOOO Italian, they should have served the judges some Limoncello after they skated! The colors and fun presentation were a welcomed respite from the usually more serious Pairs programs. Ondrej wore black pants, tight white dress shirt and red polka dotted neck-scarf. He looked like the waiter of a fun pizza restaurant. And Valentina wore this red mini dress using the same polka dotted print for the skirt. 


The look included an odd drop-waist style with sequined belt/trim, which was also seen at her neck. I liked the neck detail but the back was odd, at best. The back closure looked wonky and as if it was sewn at the last minute and then there were these nude elastic straps holding up the back neck piece. It all looked kind of unfinished to be honest.

Free Skate to Amarcord by Nino Rota: Once again, Marchei and Hotarek went the Italiano route; this time for their Free Skate, they skated to the music of the Academy Award-winning Federico Fellini film "Amarcord". They were bold and fun in their "Harlequin" print embellished costumes in black, red and white. It was kooky and slightly "Circus"-like but visually, at least it got me to pay attention. I wished his vest (which matched her dress) was tighter...



Nicole Della Monica and Matteo Guarise of Italy: Italians Della Monica and Guarise skate their Short Program to Magnificat by Mina. But frankly, I could CARE LESS what they skated to when they looked LIKE THIS: HOT! HOT! HOT! I loved these lavender costumes featuring ombre-dye coloring and sequined applique embellishments. I liked her little costume with long sleeves and handkerchief-hemmed skirt section. But can we discuss MATTEO GUARISE!!??? Mamma mia!!! His body is INSANE! Oh, and yes, I loved his costume. First, the fit was perfection. And it was great how somehow the dyeing of the shirt almost created (or enhanced) his already six-pack abs! I also loved...

The back! It's so great when a costume is fab all-around: The perfect 360 degree Costume! And I also appreciate when the guy on a Pairs couple isn't just given a black shirt/black pants and calling it a "Costume Day". Grazie Mille!

Free Skate to The Tree Of Life by Roberto Cacciapagua: Well, looks like Della Monica and Guarise did it again...Costume wise! These were two fabulous costumes from the Italians, worn for their Free Skate. The colors were vibrant and ice-impacting. They looked like a wonderful and sexy sea/earth flora-and-fauna God and Goddess in these. I also loved...

The silver, turquoise, aqua and baby blue crystals throughout their costumes. The front sequined detail was beautiful and that jeweled web-like strap back on Nicole was a FAB detail! These two and their costumes make it SOOOOO worth it to spend the hours and hours I spend writing these "Ice Style" costumes blogs!

Ashley Cain and Timothy Leduc of USA: Americans Cain and Leduc wore these costumes for their Short Program to I'll Take Care of You by Joe Bonamassa. I liked seeing these modern and sleek unitard/jumpsuits on them. The looks were done in black with aquamarine crystals scattered throughout. I loved her front and back silver sequined panels which added interest to her costume as well as elongated her body. While I also liked his sequined front torso embellishments I wished he didn't have that gauze-y blouse over it. He needs to just take that off and go without!

Xiaoyu Yu and Zhang Hao Zhang of China: They skated their Short Program to Swan Lake by Petr I. Tchaikovski in these costumes above. I thought these were elegant and quite nice. Her white "Swan" costume wasn't your typical feathered design one sees and I appreciated that. I also liked the subtle sequin detail on his black look. 

Free Skate to Star Wars (soundtrack): I LOVED this blue chiffon costume on her! The gathered bodice design featured gorgeous sequined trim at the plunging neckline, armholes and waist and a fabulous neck drape. This dress could easily go from ice to the red carpet!


Wenjing Sui and Cong Han of China: This Chinese pairs couple is REALLY EXCITING ME in terms of costume commentating! They are bringing the Haute in Haute Couture Figure Skating Costumes. For their Short Program to Hallelujah, they wore these gorgeous looks. Her scarlet red costume was BEAUTIFUL; I loved the sequin work that went from heavy to light--as if a gorgeous Swarovski crystal mirror had broken and ended up beautifully on her costume! And he was not left behind with a beautifully-embellished "Dragon" sequined top. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

Free Skate to Violin Fantasy on Puccini's Turandot by Vanessa-Mae and Nessun Dorma (from "Turandot") by Giacomo Puccini, performed by Luciano Pavarotti: These costumes worn for their Free Skate were two of the MOST BEAUTIFUL COSTUMES I have seen in a long time on Pairs skaters. They were bold, right for the music, looked super ice skating COUTURE...I can go on and one. I loved the sequined applique on her gorgeous red dress but that gold and silver dragon on his shirt was EVERYTHING!

ICE DANCE:
Madison Chock and Evan Bates of USA: Chock and Bates wore these Latino Caliente costumes for their Short Dance to Salsa: Aguanile by Mark Anthony; Rhumba: Que lio by Mark Anthony; Samba: Vivir mi vida by Mark Anthony. The colors were nice and the details--like her loose fringe and asymmetrical upper torso styling--could make the very talented costume designers of "Dancing With the Stars" envious that they didn't make them! (I hear Madison designs all their costumes). I also liked how Evan was looking sexier this year with the skin tight top and that HOT plunging v-neck. Muy bien.

Free Dance to Imagine by John Lennon: Chock and Bates wore these blue costumes for their Free Skate. I liked these costumes as well. The blue colors were pretty and the sequin detail was beautiful. There was a somber yet elegant glamour to these that I admired. And Thank you Evan for that plunging neckline! (or shall I thank Madison??)

Lorraine McNamara and Quinn Carpenter of USA: Americans McNamara and Carpenter wore these looks for their fun Short Dance to Rhumba: Mambo Italiano by Bob Merrill; Slow Rhumba: El Perdedor by Enrique Inglesias feat. Antonio Solis and Samba: Big Bagz by Alex Romano. I thought these were great costumes that looked "Senior Level" and had great sequined detail. I especially liked her "Gladiator Goddess"-like detailing, front bustier gathering and "open sides" design. I also loved  his sequined vest top. We are seeing a bit more skin on the men so he did look too covered up, however. 

Tiffany Zahorski and  Jonathan Guerreiro of Russia: If there was any question that the theme is RHUMBA/SAMBA/SALSA for this season's Ice Dance Short Dance, well...take a look at this Russian Ice Dance couple! They skated their Short Dance to Samba: Hip Hip Chin Chin performed by Club des Belugas ; Rhumba: Volveras performed by Gloria Estefan; and Samba: Batucada Brasiliera performed by Samba Brazilian Batucada Band. Tiffany looked like a fab samba dancer at the Rio Olympics Opening Ceremony with her super vibrant colorful fringe-tastic costume: LOVE. And Jonathan--while not really donning a "costume" perhaps--was still right as the male partner to her sexy HOT HOT HOT look. In this dance...it is ALL ABOUT her!

Gabrielle Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France: Here is another example where the female is the Costume Star. For their Short Dance to Shape Of You by Ed Sheeran and Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran, remastered by Karl Hugo, the French Ice Dance couple of Papadakis and Cizeron wore these costumes above. Gabrielle looked like someone at the top of a Brazilian Carnival Float--and THAT IS the point! Loved her two piece sequined and fringed look. The gold and green colors were great. And Guillaume...sleeveless, tight, Muy Sexy Le Smoking Skating Tuxedo. Très Chic and Très Sleek.

Free Skate to Piano Sonata N. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, No 2. "Moonlight Sonata", Adagio Sostenuto, by Ludwig van Beethoven performed by Steve Anderson 
"Moonlight Sonata", Presto Agitato by Ludwig van Beethoven--Two words: JUST GORGEOUS. These costumes were subtle, beautiful, elegant, and PERFECT. Her softly flowing chiffon dress with Lycra bodysuit was sublime and fluttered with the dance like a gorgeous bird flying through the wind. And Guillaume...


That side cowl drape top was FIGURE SKATING COUTURE Fab! Sexy, elegant, draped. I love that for the Free Dance, HIS costume was actually THE STAR. 

Continuing with my ICE STYLE Costumes Recap BLOG on ISU Grand Prix of figure Skating Audi Cup of China 2017, I have talked about the LADIES HERE so now, it is time to discuss THE MEN! Let's begin with USA's Vincent Zhou:

Vincent Zhou of USA: Vincent skated his Short Program to Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. He wore this lilac-hued shirt and dark lilac/gray skin-tight pants. The shirt featured beautiful crystals throughout but it was the white-shirt underneath that made it slightly too "Casual Friday's" for my taste. 

Free Skate to Moulin Rouge (soundtrack): Zhou wore this red-and-black costume for his "Moulin Rouge" Free Skate. While I appreciated that he (or his costume design team) stepped it up several notches from his short program costume...but he looked a little too much like one of the background dancers of the "Like A Virgin" segment of the film (photo above). But maybe that was the point.

Boyang Jin of China: For his Short Program to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (soundtrack) by Tan Dun, he wore this all black costume that had the detailing of a traditional Chinese robe, but reinterpreted in a modern way. The entire look was slim, sleek and minimal. I LIKEY!


Han Yan of China: Han Yan skated his Short Program to A Thousand Years by Christina Perri in this light gray top and dark gray pants. The top had pretty crystals on the neck, shoulder and sleeves. I liked all that detail up top and I also appreciated how snug his top was. This was a good example of a Costume Look that was similar in its style to Vincent Zhou's but...was done better. Not my favorite color combination, but it was nice none the less.

Free Skate to I'll Take Care Of You performed by Beth Hart, Joe Bonamassa: For his Free Skate, he wore this wine-red dress shirt, black-and-gray vest (with black pants, of course). Overall, it was a nice costume for him. There were sprinkles of silver crystals throughout the vest which added nice sparkle to the costume. Also...I wonder if his new silver-colored hair is part of the look? Very On-trend Millennial.

Kevin Reynolds of Canada: Kevin is kind of known for his costumes. For his Short Program to Moanin' by Art Blakey, however, there was really none--except for a white dress shirt, a bold blue tie, black pants and...OH GOD WHAT IS THAT BELT???!!!! I cannot believe he fell for the dreaded Male Figure Skater Ross Dress For Less 90's Belt Virus!!! I think I owned that belt...in 1994. Please Kevin, give it to Out of the Closet! ASAP!

Free Skate to The Armed Man: A Mass For Peace by Karl Jenkins--For his Free Skate, Kevin was more on his comfortable "Costume Territory" and as a fan of Figure Skating and Figure Skating Costumes...I liked this! I liked all the detail of the jacket--especially those epaulets and gold embroidery. It also fit him quite nice and worked with the music. I know that maybe he looked a teeny bit too much like "The Nutcracker" Prince but hey, I'll take that over a 1994-like Ross Dress For Less belt ANY DAY!

Max Aaron of USA: Max wore this black pants and draped gray knit top to his Bring Him Home and One More Day (from "Les Miserables") by Claude-Michel Schoenberg Short Program. This look was very Max Aaron in it's gray/black colors and sleek costume look. I liked the cowl draped neckline and asymmetrical hem especially. It added a little bit of interest to his costume. I also have to add that the design reminded me of...


Free Skate to The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber: For his Free Skate, he went typical Max Aaron gray-and-black (of course) with this look. It was not very exciting but then again, Aaron is not know for his exciting costumes. The look, however, was a nice departure from what we usually see from skaters doing "The Phantom of the Opera". This off-center closure, heathered gray top with black pants design was like the "Modern Dance" interpretation of the musical.

Javier Fernandez of Spain: Spaniard Javier Fernandez brought back his "Charlie Chaplin" program (as many of the skaters are doing for this Olympic Season) from the 2012-2013 Season. Back then, it was his Free Skate and now, it for his Short Program. And as much as I liked his "Chaplin" costume back then, I am happy that he wore a new costume. For his Short Program to Modern Times (Charlie Chaplin soundtrack), he wore this sleeker-and-sexier Charlie Chaplin look comprised of snug gray pants, a second-skin black stretch velvet jacket and white shirt. The jacket had nice details like sequined trim, satin lapels and a fab flower-like lapel "rosette". It was sharp and fit him well and still had elements of the character he was playing.

And...in case you were wondering...

Free Skate to Man of La Mancha: For his Free Skate, he wore this "Conquistador"-style costume appropriate for the musical. Javier's 15th century-like doublet and shirt had great little details such as the back loops, side sleeve buttons and dramatic stand-up collar. I liked the fact that it was "costume-y" but not too Costume-y (if that makes any sense). On a non-costume note: Let's hope the next time he skates, he does a better job. Go Javi!!!

**UP NEXT: ICE DANCE and PAIRS COSTUMES of Audi Cup of China 2017!!