The Women of Beijing 2022--(L to R) Wakaba Higuchi of Japan, Kaori Sakamoto of Japan, and Alysa Liu of the USA--Beijing 2022 Olympics Women's Figure Skating
THE WOMEN! The Beijing 2022 Olympics Women's Individual Figure Skating Competition ended this past week, and while we all know all the drama that engulfed it...here, I just discuss THE COSTUMES! In case you missed it, click HERE for the MEN'S COSTUMES RECAP, and HERE for the ICE DANCE...but now it is time to discuss the Costumes of the WOMEN of Bejing 2022...
Let's begin with Kaori Sakamoto of Japan:
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Free Skate to No More Fight Left In Me by Imany, Armand Amar, and Tris by Ellie Goulding, Junkie XL--This costume worn by Sakamoto for her Free Skate is one of my favorites for the women this past season. This was also designed by ASTRAEE Couture. I love the strong color, the gold, and copper jeweled sequins, and especially the crystal "stripes" and how they miter (match and meet) at the sides. Her Free Skate was choreographed to celebrate the power of women and I cannot help but think she looks very much like a FIERCE and FASHIONABLE "Wonder Woman".
Wakaba Higuchi JAPAN Short Program--For her Short Program to Your Song by Ellie Goulding, Elton John, Wakaba wore this ethereal costume designed by Satomi Ito. The costume featured pretty flower-and-leaf appliques, colored crystals on a nude illusion/pastel-colored chiffon base. I thought the design was delicate and whisper-like...just the perfect costume complement to her soft and silky music; it's almost as if she was a beautiful fairy delicately skating through her little ice kingdom.
Free Skate to Spirit (from "The Lion King") by Beyonce, Grasslands Chant, Stampede, and Remember (from "The Lion King") by Hans Zimmer--This bold and fabulous costume worn by Wakaba was also designed by Satomi Ito and is one of my TOP favorites from this entire past season. I thought the design was Haute Couture perfection: The strong colors, the gorgeous sequin applique, the 3d texture of the feathers...this could have easily gone "Las Vegas Costume Tacky" but it didn't...this was Lion King High Fashion, and Wakaba was the LION QUEEN!
Free Skate to Hallelujah performed by K.D. Lang--Mariah wore this maroon-colored costume for her "Hallelujah" Free Skate. It was nice to see her wear something a little more "fancy" than the minimalist Short Program look. This costume, which was designed by Jan Longmire, featured a mock-neck style with solid/sheer panels crystal studding, asymmetrically curving around her torso and an open back.
Free Skate to Violin Concerto in D, op. 35 by Petr I. Tchaikovski, performed by Joshua Bell--Alysa wore another design from a collaboration between Feeling/Mathieu Caron and Iconic Skatewear, this time for her Free Skate. This baby blue costume featured a pointed bustline, neck/shoulder nude illusion, and delicate blue and silver crystal work. This was like the "pretty" and not so "spicy" cousin to her Short Program red costume. It suited the young Alysa and in addition, she looked great next to the matching blue Beijing Olympics boards! Was this planned? I'm going to give them the credit and say YES!
Karen Chen USA Short Program--Skating her Short Program to Requiem for a Tower performed by Escala, arranged by Hugo Chouinard, and Requiem for a Dream performed by Jennifer Thomas, arranged by Hugo Chouinard, Karen wore this costume above. Both of her Short and Free Skate costumes were designed by her mom. This one had a black-colored base with aquamarine, turquoise, violet, and silver crystals heavily embellished down her torso. I thought it was a strong and effective costume for Karen; a more adult look for her.
Free Skate to Butterfly Lovers (Violin Concerto) performed by Takako Nishizaki--While I liked the color and sequin work on this Free Skate costume of Karen's, I just think it got a little too OVER-embellished. Yes, I know, even in Figure Skating you can go too much with the crystals and need to pull back (shocker!). Instead of making the design look richer and more high-end, it almost looked like something for a little girl to be worn on her "Princess Birthday".
Yelim Kim REPUBLIC OF KOREA Short Program--Yelim wore this costume to her Short Program to Liebestraum by Franz Liszt, performed by Josef Bulva. The light ombre blue shaded costume had silver crystal details highlighting the underbust/Empire section, neckline as well as sleeve cuffs. The design was delicate and pretty and was a traditional costume choice for the music. I just wished her style team wouldn't go so traditional because the silhouette and style almost made her look a bit dated.
Free Skate to Violin Fantasy on Puccini's Turandot by Vanessa Mae--Thank goodness Yelim saved her Costume Couture for her Free Skate! This red and gold costume was stunning in its design, intricate beading, and "Turandot"-inspired details. The details were done magnificently--from the sleeve details, the gold hem, and rich torso sequin applique. All in all, this costume looked rich and very expensive!
Young You REPUBLIC OF KOREA Short Program--For her Short Program to Whirling Winds (The Leftovers soundtrack) by Ludovico Einaudi, Young You of South Korea wore this pretty deep lavender-colored costume. I liked the asymmetrical details, the one-sleeve look, open back, and delicate floaty panels that added texture and 3D interest to her costume as she skated. The sequins were also quite pretty.
Cruella at Skate America 2021 in October 202--This one really pays more of an homage to Jenny Beavan's costumes for "Cruella" and in fact, there was an added personal touch: Alexandra had the names of all her little dogs, sewn onto the costume! Even though it is so crazy-busy in terms of design, I kind of liked it better!
Total View by Inon Zur, Anna wore this costume above. The mostly all-black costume featured silver crystals throughout, nude illusion insets, and powder blue raw-edged "petals" of fabrics. I thought this was a beautiful costume and I appreciated the details, especially those pieces of fabric that added a nice 3D textured effect. I also loved the sleeve/wrist details with the raw-edged pointed fabrics as well. She almost looked as if she could have easily skated to "Black Swan" wearing this.
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Mariah Bell USA Short Program--Mariah went simple and classic this season with the costume for her Short Program to A River Flows In You by Yiruma. The design was a deep royal blue stretch velvet high-neck number void of any costume "bells & whistles" except for silver crystal trim and a plunging back. When I first saw her skate in this earlier in the season, I thought it looked a bit "straight out of a skating shop" but the more I saw her in it, its clean and classic elegance grew on me.
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BTW: It was also very reminiscent of Michelle Kwan's Free Skate costume during the 1998 Nagano Olympics. And being compared to Michelle Kwan is NEVER a bad thing!:
Michelle Kwan at the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan in a stretch velvet costume designed by Vera Wang
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Alisa Liu USA Short Program--For Alysa's Short Program to Gypsy Dance (Don Quixote: Act II) by Ludwig Minkus, she wore this fire-red costume designed by Feeling/Mathieu Caron X Iconic Skatewear. I LOVED this look on Alysa from the moment she stepped on the ice. I liked the bold color, the slit-front skirt, and the beautiful aquamarine crystals and how they were displayed around the costume. The look was less Gypsy and definitely more Middle East Fantasy Princess!
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Loena Hendrickx BELGIUM Short Program--Skating to Caruso by Lucio Dalla, performed by Lara Fabian, Loena wore this red costume from AISTARG Finland. It was bold, sexy, and had lots of details including all those straps, cut-outs, silver crystals, the asymmetrical neckline, one sleeve...While you think all those different things may have been too distracting, I didn't mind them at all; she looked more Atelier Versace and less Too-much Ice Skating Costume.
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Free Skate to The Mystic's Dream by Loreena McKennitt, Spirits by Chronis Taxidis, Mizmar vs Violin by Hamada Enani--One word: STUNNING! Loena wore this gold-colored design for her Free Skate. This look was a blend of Queen Nefertiti mixed in with Cleopatra, with a lot of Beyonce, and I was here for it! This is a perfect example where A LOT of sequin work in a costume can, in fact, make it look more elevated and fit for a star...on the Olympic Stage! This fabulous costume is from AISTARG Finland.
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Kamila Valieva ROC Short Program--For her Short Program to In Memoriam by Kirill Richter, Kamila has said that she is supposed to be portraying a bird. As a result, she wears this lilac-hued costume that featured off-the-shoulder drapes, a gathered bust, ombre shading, silver crystal embellishment, a longer skirt, and matching fingerless gloves. While she skates, one does see the "bird"-like choreography and movements, and the costume helps with this but I can't help but think, the entire look could have used some editing.
Free Skate to Look Down, I Dreamed a Dream, Do You Hear The People Sing (all from Les Miserables soundtrack) by Claude Michel Schonberg, Alain Albert Boubill--Looking like a young and beautiful Cosette, was Young You in her Free Skate costume to Music from "Les Miserables". The design, done in ombre shadings from white to deep burgundy, had corset-like detailing at the torso, done in oversized jeweled crystals to mimic the boning in a traditional corset. The neckline was "off-the-shoulder", trimmed with light flouncy ruffles and nude illusion. This was a nice way of referencing the Period Costumes of the French Revolution, but in a VERY figure skating way.
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Alexandra Trusova ROC Short Program--Skating to Benediction And Dream by Elliot Goldenthal, performed by Lila Downs, Solo tu by Elliot Goldenthal, and Alcoba Azul by Elliot Goldenthal (all songs from "Frida" soundtrack), Alexandra wore this fire-red costume representing the figure skating version of Frida Kahlo. The design had black/red ombre shadings and multicolored crystals accentuating the front torso, neckline, and as well as around the waist/hips. It was an intense color on the ice making her stand out...and in addition, it matched her hair color!
Free Skate to Bolero by Maurice Ravel--Skating her Free Skate to Ravel's "Bolero", Kamila wore this design above. The look had a black sequined bodysuit/dress worn over black extra long leggings, with bold red gloves to finish the look. She has stated that for this Free Skate she is supposed to represent a snake, which makes sense, especially when you focus on THAT emerald green crystal snake that looks like it is about to bite her back.
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Free Skate to Call Me Cruella by Florence + The Machine, The True Story of Cruella's Birth by Nicholas Britell, and I Wanna Be Your Dog by John McCrea (all from "Cruella" soundtrack)--Alexandra wore this edgy black costume for her "Cruella" Free Skate. The costume certainly played on the 70's London Punk style inspiration of the movie with the faux leather, metal hardware, black gloves, and raw-hem details.
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BTW: This was one of her past "Cruella" costumes:
Anna Shcherbakova ROC Short Program--Skating to Dangerous Affairs by Inon Zur
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And lastly:
Free Skate to Ruska by Apocalyptica, The Master and Margarita (soundtrack) by Igor Korneliuk, and Lacrimosa by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart performed by David Garrett--For her Free Skate, Alexandra wore this maroon-colored design that had heavy sequin applique highlighted by a gathered torso and petal-shaped skirt. What I really did not understand was the double layers of off-white-colored skirts under the maroon dress...it just didn't make any sense since that color was nowhere else to be seen.
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Silver, Gold, and Bronze (L to R) Alexandra Trusova of ROC, Anna Shcherbakova of ROC, and Kaori Sakamoto of Japan--Beijing 2022 Women's Individual Figure Skating Competition
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