ICE STYLE.....2015 World Figure Skating Championships PAIRS COSTUMES!

Costume Pairs: Pairs skaters--and their costumes--at 2015 World Figure Skating Championships Shanghai China

Since I have already discussed the LADIES Costumes HERE and MEN Costumes HERE from this past week's 2015 World Figure Skating Championships, It's now time to discuss the PAIRS Costumes Highlights:

Kristina Astakhova and Alexei Rogonov of Russia: Above is what they wore for their Free Skate to  "The Master and Margarita" (soundtrack) by Igor Korneliuk. While at first glance, these costumes may seem a bit on the "Cray-Cray" side, I liked them! They go perfectly well with the music and the theme of that Russian TV miniseries involving demons, Stalin, and an "Annual Spring Ball of the Full Moon". The red and black are very impacting and his slash-open sleeves flutter nicely while he skated. But my favorite was her costume: it's like a Demon Goddess/Spiderweb Couture. 

Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov of Russia: These are the costumes Kavaguti and Smirnov wore for their Short Program to Méditation from “Thaïs” by Jules Massenet (top photo)
and Free Skate to "Manfred Symphony" by Petr I. Tchaikovski (lower photo). If I had to choose a favorite, I like her pale blue costume for the Short program and his slate-gray chiffon and sequined look he wore for the Free Skate. I think that in terms of the SP and Free Skate costume's overall effect would probably be on a 6/10; in other words, OK designs but nothing extraordinary.

Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres of France: Free Skate to "Angels and Demons" (soundtrack) by Hans Zimmer, "Heaven and Hell" by Vangelis and "Requiem for a Dream" (soundtrack) by Clint Mansell. I LOVE these costumes worn by James and Cipres. They tell the story of Angels and Demons well through fashion (the black and white colors), and the sequin detail is exquisite. Her costume especially needs to be in a Figure Skating Costume Museum ASAP! But another highlight is...

The great detail on Morgan Cipres' back. I love when the design or designers don't just focus on the front but pay as much (if not more!) interest on the back. C'est Magnifique!

Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford of Canada: For gold medal-winning Pairs skaters Duhamel and Radford's Short Program to "Un peu plus haut" by Ginette Reno and Free Skate to "Neutron Star Collision", "I Belong to You" (from "Samson and Delilah") and "Uprising" by Muse, they wore the costumes above. I really liked Meagan's one shoulder black with sequins costume for her Free Skate. And normally, I am not a big fan of the "let's just make the guy wear a black top and black pants and call it a day" look, but with Duhamel and Radford, I will give him a Costume Pass. They won the Gold so...

Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim of the USA: These costumes above are what Scimeca and Knierim wore for their Free Skate to "An American in Paris" by George Gershwin. I really like these costumes, both Alexa's and Chris'. Her blue and silver sequined costume looks refined, expensive and very effective with the music and theme. And Chris really reflects the Gene Kelly character in the iconic musical "An American in Paris".

Pang Qing and Tong Jian of China: Pang and Tong skated their Free Skate to "Io Ci Saro" by David Foster, Walter Afanasieff in these costumes above. I really love her blue chiffon and sequined applique costume. Especially  those fluttery sleeves. Her costume reminds me of a figure skating costume version of an Elie Saab Haute Couture design (lower photo of Elie Saab Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2014). Now, for the not-so-nice: his costume was BLAH and almost tacky; that shirt with the shoulder yoke detail is two minutes from a bad 1987 shirt (that I probably owned!).

Nicole Della Monica and Mateo Guarise of Italy: Above is what Italian Pairs Della Monica and Guarise wore for their Free Skate to The Mask of Zorro (soundtrack) by James Horner. I like these costumes. Especially HIS! I love how his back is "exposed" through the nude illusion and framed by the exquisite silver/black sequined applique scallop edges.

Mari Vartmann and Aaron Van Cleave of Germany: These are the costumes Germany's Vartmann and Van Cleave wore for their Short Program to Waltz from "Petersburg's Secrets" (soundtrack) by Andrei Petrov (top photo) and Free Skate to "Concierto de Aranjuez" by Joaquin Rodrigo (lower photo). The Short Program costumes seem almost Ice Dance "comical" in its styling and color matchy-matchy; it's a bit on the tacky side--unless they were skating to the B-52's! I do like the Free Skate costumes better; they are elegant, reflect the "Near East" music well and seem fashion-restrained. And in a good way. 

Peng Cheng and Zhang Hao of China: Peng and Zhang skated their Short Program to Arabian Dance (from "The Nutcracker") by Peter I. Tchaikovski. Now, I know "The Nutcracker" very well and every single part of that iconic music. I think that these costumes well reflect the "Arabian Dance" (lower photo of the San Francisco Ballet's "The Nutcracker" Arabian Dance). I love the snake sequin panel that wraps around her costume and his electric blue and gold sequined top is very "Middle Eastern" Sheik. 

Miriam Ziegler and Severin Kiefer of Austria: Finally, I wanted to add the Austrian Pairs skaters Ziegler and Kiefer and the costumes they wore for their Short Program to "C'est pas l'amour" by Rupa and the "April Fishes Zydeko" by Benoit Jutras. They never made it to the Free Skate competition but when I first saw these, I wanted to say how much I liked them--only for their "kookiness". These costumes are very "Cirque du Soleil"-ish and fun but my favorite part is the bedazzled heart on his bootie! #GoAustria

**UP NEXT!! The Final Part of my Costumes Recap of the 2015 World Figure Skating Championships...ICE DANCE!