Stylish Romance: Canada's Ice Dance pair of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir during their Free Dance at the 2017 ISU World Figure Skating Championhsips in Helsinki Finland
In my last post HERE, I discussed the COSTUMES of the LADIES and PAIRS of the 2017 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, which were held this past week and weekend in Helsinki Finland. Now, it's time to round out my "Ice Style" Costumes Recap and talk about the Ice Dance and MEN Costumes. Let's begin with...
ICE DANCE:
Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir Canada Short Program to Hip Hop: Kiss by Prince, Blues: Five Women by Prince, Blues: Purple Rain by Prince--Prince. Need I say more? Tessa is wearing a fabulous jumpsuit and it's purple and black, sequined applique and giving homage to the iconic Prince ruffled blouse: It is costume perfection! The thought and detail put into the entire design and especially those side panel cut-outs is commendable.
Virtue and Moir Canada Free Dance to Pilgrims on a Long Journey by Coeur de Pirate
Latch (Acoustic) by Sam Smith: This dress on Tessa is one of MY TOP FAVORITE COSTUMES for the 2016-2017 Season. She looks Runway Chic, divine and fabulously ethereal all at the same time. The pleated detail is very High Fashion Fab. I usually have a problem with the male partner just being oh-so-boring in black or navy but...WHO CARES??? Tessa looks GORGEOUS It's all about HER! (Sorry Scott!).
Kaetlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje Canada Short Dance to Blues: The Way You Make Me Feel by Judith Hill; Hip Hop: Dangerous and Jam by Michael Jackson: I thought these were great costumes for Canada's Weaver and Poje. I loved hers especially in that it was giving me a little of MJ and A LOT of Yves Saint Laurent "Le Smoking".
Madison Hubell and Zachary Donohue USA Short Dance to Blues: Feeling Good performed by Nina Simone, Hip Hop Medley--I liked these costumes on USA's Hubbell and Donohue. She wore a jumpsuit with sheer stretch fabric as well as printed panels. And Zachary wore this jacket-and-pants costume which complimented hers--especially with the graphic green and blue printed detail in the back. This was a nice way of incorporating a costume through-line.
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue USA Free Dance to I Wanna Dance With Somebody by Bootstrap, Can't Help Falling In Love performed by Ingrid Michaelson, Earned It by Bootstrap: Gorgeous, lyrical and right for the music. Her blue-gray dress was beautiful but the color and length was a bit off for my taste. I liked the delicate pleating and flower sequin detail, especially. I also think that the change in Zachary's costume from earlier in the season was a wise decision:
Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue USA Free Dance: Grand Prix Finals 2016
Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte of Italy Short Dance to Blues: Cry For Me
Boogie Woogie: Choo Choo Boogie--I love this Ice Dance couple from Italy. They always have fun, great character-driven ice dances. For their Short Dance, they donned these bold looks. Anna was very 50's fun in a black and white polka dotted dress and Luca was giving Ballroom Dancer Host in his Shawl-collared red and black tuxedo outfit. I really loved her dress and how it flowed and how it was fitted on her...but yet still loose. The gradation of polka dots was perfection.
Maia and Alex Shibutani USA Short Dance to Blues: That's Life performed by Frank Sinatra, Hip Hop: That's Life (remix) performed by Frank Sinatra, Jay Z--I loved these costumes on the Shibutanis; they were chic, modern and a fresh costume perspective while skating to Frank Sinatra and Jay Z. I'm especially a big fan of Maia in a Tuxedo-esque jumpsuit! The sequined/illusion panel is FABULOUS.
Shibutani and Shibutani USA Free Dance to Evolution: Mirror In Mirror by Anne Akiko Meyers, Akira Eguchi--These were pretty costumes that worked well with the music. I especially loved Alex's draped chiffon top; it was a perfect complimentary look to Maia's floaty dress. The royal blue color theme was beautiful.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates of USA Short Dance to Blues: Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood, Hip Hop: Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars--These were interesting, sexy looks from USA's Chock and Bates for their Short Dance. Madison looked punk-tastic in her spiderweb-like crop top with "ripped" sleeves and sexy low-slung faux leather super-skinny pants. Evan was looking like he went to Zara and bought a jersey knit top, under t-shirt and sleek denim skinny pants and...I still liked it.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates Free Dance to Under Pressure by David Bowie, Freddie Mercury: I LOVED these costumes worn by Chock and Bates for their Free Dance to David Bowie and Freddie Mercury. The costumes were chic, modern yet retro and still reflective of the music. Her purple costume with asymmetrical fishtail hemline and blue-and-orange sequin detail was vibrant, fun and HOT! I also liked his delicately sequined knit top that (if you were paying attention) also featured a slight asymmetrical hemline (like hers).
Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France Short Dance to Blues: Bittersweet by Lene Riebau, Maxim Illion perf. by Club des Belugas and Swing: Diga Diga Doo by Dorthy Fields, Jimmy McHugh perf. by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: The fabulous Ice Dance pair of Papadakis and Cizeron wore these costumes above for their Short Dance. She wore a blue dress with gold embroidery in the top section. And sexy Guillaume donned a midnight blue jacket with gold detailed lapels, DEEP PLUNGING neckline white shirt and blue pants. If I had any critique it is that I'm still (even after this ENTIRE season!), not sure what these costumes have to do with the music and their skate. They looked more "Romeo & Juliet" Lite but that wasn't really the theme of their music.
Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron France Free Skate to Stillness by Nest, Oddudua by Aldo Lopez Gavilan, Happiness Does Not Wait by Olafur Arnalds: I think she is absolutely ethereal and Runway Chic Goddess in this ombre-shaded one-shoulder draped costume dress and Guillaume...well, thank goodness that muscle shirt/top is PLUNGING and SLEEVELESS: Tres Bien!
MEN:
Javier Fernandez Spain Short Program to Malaguena performed by Paco de Lucia and Placido Domingo: Javier wore this black costume of a stretch jersey long sleeve top, pants and faux leather suspenders for this skate. I liked the modernist look and not-so-obvious "Flamenco"-like costume. It was chic, if that can be said for a man. Now, if we can just have him work on those flamenco hand movements and make them look a bit less...stilted...I would be very happy! Sorry if I am causing his fans to not like me but...to me, he lacks the style and rhythm that a true Flamenco dancer has.
Javier Fernandez of Spain Free Program to Trouble, Fever and Jailhouse Rock performed by Elvis Presley: While I think this Elvis music was good for Javier...he just needed a little more sensual rhythm to pull it off (he was a bit robotic and non-Elvis smooth for my taste--kind of like his hand movement to the "Malaguena" in his Short Program). Now, in terms of his costume, this was good. It evoked the "Elvis" look; it was 50's-esque and the bold black-and-white color blocking of his "Bowling Shirt" was effective.
Boyang Jin China Short Program to Spiderman: Of course, this was "Spiderman"! Hello! I liked the obviousness of the costume in regards to the music. But, I also liked that it wasn't so cheesy "Halloween" costume and done in black and silver-white. It was modern, sleek and on-point.
Boyang Jin Free Skate to La Strada by Nino Rota: I'm always interested when skaters skate to "La Strada". The Fellini film involves a clown reference and therefore, one can go cartoon-y in a hot costume minute. Boyang did not. I liked the bold graphic stripes and black-and-white vest. The costume was about 90% fine, except, part of me wished he may have beaded the stripes on the shirt--in black, white and red sequins; that would have been slightly more impacting and brought the costume to a more "Couture" Jean Paul Gaultier level.
Nathan Chen Short Program Le Corsaire by Adolphe Adam: Nathan wore this black lace top and black pants costume for his Short Program. I liked the simplicity and elegance of it, especially since, let's just be honest, NO ONE was really paying attention to his costume and instead, watching how many QUADS this young man would do! I liked the great fit and look of a mini cropped bolero jacket.
Nathan Chen USA Free Skate to Polovtsian Dances (from "Prince Igor") by Alexander Borodin: I really liked this late 19th century Russian Royal look of a costume on Nathan. I liked the bright red and gold top/jacket and the intricacy of the trim and sequin applique. I know this may be such a small detail but I especially liked the emerald green brooch at the center front torso as well as waist accent.
Patrick Chan of Canada Short Program to Dear Prudence and Blackbird by The Beatles: Patrick Chan is not known for his costumes, and more for his fabulous skating. For his SP, he wore this all-black look skating to The Beatles. Normally, I don't like when male figure skaters just wear the black pant-and-shirt look, and I've referenced it as being a bit too "Ross Dress For Less". I think that here, this ensemble worked. I liked the short sleeved shirt, the suspenders and natural-waist trousers style. Part of me wished the suspenders were sequined--at least in matte black crystals!--but yeah, I know--it's Patrick Chan, sequins are not always his thang.
Patrick Chan Canada Free Sate to A Journey by Eric Radford: For this Free Skate, Patrick wore this Tie Dye top and pants outfit. This was (thankfully) a bit more color than we would ever see from him and a nice change. It was sleek and stylish.
Shoma Uno Japan Short Program to Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra ("Ladies in Lavender" soundtrack) by Nigel Hess--The music suggested lavender but he wore blue. I thought this was a nice costume for Shoma and I especially appreciate the sequined detail of the top.
Shoma Uno Free Skate to Buenos Aires Hora Cero and Barada para un loco by Astor Piazzolla: I loved this Free Skate costume on Shoma. The red and black were perfect for the music and the delicate and intricate sequin detail was beautiful: He was fiery and Toreador fab.
Yuzuru Hanyu Japan Short Program to Let's Go Crazy by Prince: Yes, it's Prince and yes, it's Yuzuru. And yes, I liked it. Purple, sleek and Glam Fabulous! If there is any critique, it's all those necklaces of his...too many unnecessary accessories; I don't care how meaningful they might be...they are distracting!
Yuzuru Hanyu Japan Free Skate to Hope and Legacy by Joe Hisaishi--I love the multicolored draped and gathered stretch chiffon top. Look at that photo: It looks easy-breezy but that top probably took hundreds of hours to get that way. I love how Yuzuru is comfortable with mixing the feminine and pretty, as well as juxtaposing it with the masculine, while also hinting at an old-school "Vintage" figure skating costume vibe.
