Figure Skating Costume Minute: 2012 Skate Canada International--The Men!

Figure Skating Costume Minute: 2012 Skate Canada International--The Men!

Charlie Chaplin, A Torredor, A Sorcerer, Blouson Shirts and Many Vests...Yes, it's THE MEN:

Costumed Boys: (left to right) Silver medalist Patrick Chan from Canada, Gold medalist Javier
Fernandez from Spain and Bronze medalist Nobunari Oda from Japan stand
on the podium after the 2012 Skate Canada International Men's Competition, ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating at WFCU
Centre Windsor, Canada.

In my last post, I discussed the LADIES and the costumes they "unveiled" at the 2012 Skate Canada International ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating competition, which occurred this past weekend in Windsor Ontario Canada. So, now, it's time to talk about the MEN! Since this is the second of the Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2012 series, this is also the first time a lot of these skaters are debuting their programs for this new season--as well as their costumes.




Let's begin with Canada's Patrick Chan:

Patrick Chan came in as the Defending World Champion and Gold Medalist from Skate Canada 2011. Above is what he wore for his Short Program to Rachmaninoff's "Elegie in E Flat Minor". It was deep blue-colored lightly beaded blouson long sleeve top with a plunging neckline (Oh Patrick!) with attached convertible collar and cascade ruffles.

The top is very similar to what he wore last season at Skate Canada for his Long Program to "Concierto de Aranjuez" (Michelle Kwan's song thank you VERY MUCH!). It seems that Patrick loves a good blouson. Getting back to the current new-and-improved Short Program blouse costume: Since his music was Classical, I think he was trying to vibe a classic and romantic look and he even had a lace back detail which is A LOT of look for Patrick. I did LOVE the pants. They fit him PERFECTLY and I liked how they had the beaded tuxedo stripe down the side, bringing in the lightly beaded detail from the top.



This is what he wore at last year's Skate Canada 2011 and for his Short Program to "Take Five":



Oh yes, Patrick also LOVES a good vest...so much so that for this year's Long Program, he couldn't stay away from another vest:

Chan skated his Long Program to Puccini's "La Bohème". The story of this very famous opera, involves young bohemians living in Paris in the 1840s. It was nice that he went "Period Costume"-friendly with this and I could just hear him telling his costume designer to "PLEASE, PLEASE MAKE ME A VEST...'cause I REALLY REALLY like them!". I like the colors and style of his curved neckline waistcoat (very 1840s), but the white blouse with lacing is what throws me off.  He looks more "Pirates of Penzance" as opposed to Paris 1840s Boho.

Above is what men wore in 1840s Paris and a male lead in the opera "La Bohème". 

All in all, I feel that he could have been more creative and unique with his Free Skate costume. I will never, ever be a fan of a costume that looks like you could buy it at the corner drug store. For me, he should have continued on the style of his short program costume, something not as reverential and with a bit more style.

Javier Fernández of Spain: The Gold Medal winner from 2012 Skate Canada International skated his Short Program to "The Mask of Zorro" and of course, it was a red-and-black --very Latino! But it wasn't "Period" Mask of Zorro but rather a modern interpretation-costume wise. I really like this look. It is exactly what I was talking about above and what Patrick Chan failed to do. You understand the relation to his music but it isn't so obvious.

For his Long Program to "Charlie Chaplin Medley", he wore this costume above featuring that DREADED vest (dreaded to me, because it's SO expected) those male figure skaters LOVE; wing-tip collar shirt, tie and pleated pants.

But in this case, it would be hard not to take such a direct interpretation of Charlie Chaplin. I liked the combination of baggy pants and tight waistcoat. I think he looks good. Slim and modern. It would have nice to see a very shrunken jacket to finish the entire outfit off but I get that it might have been restricting when it came time to accomplish his fab jumps! Japanese skater Nobunari Oda did a "Charlie Chaplin" look for his 2009-2010 Season Long Program, using that "shrunken jacket" suggestion of mine, and I think this worked well:

Now, speaking of Nobunari...

Nobunari Oda of Japan: Nobunari skated his Short Program "The New Moon in the Old Moon's Arms" wearing this costume. It's a GOOD mess, rather campy and so "Blades of Glory". I love that a male figure skater can sometimes just go "old school" and dress like this. It is a BIG trend among the male Japanese figure skaters and I love it!

For his Long Program to Disney's "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and "Daphne et Chloe", Oda wore this embroidered cropped lapel'ed "robe" cinched at the waist with red sequin fabric. I really liked this too.

There were kimono-like elements to the wrapping of the top and I enjoyed the pop of color (maybe an homage to Mickey and his red robe above?) and overall, it had that "Sorcerer's" whimsy to it. Good job Nobunari!

Takahito Mura of Japan: Takahito skated his Short Program to "Shogun" so naturally there were elements of  the movie's costumes as well as references to Samurai warriors. Notice the striped motif in the front part, the stiffened shoulders, and oversized sleeves. But of course, there had to be some diamante trim for a little "figure skating" bling-bling.

Takahito skated his Long Program to "Malagueña" and he went all out Spanish Bullfighter Fabulous. I LOVE the very large jeweled multicolored stones on the jacket and then at the side of his pants. The red cummerbund is the right width and the very fitted shape of the top finishes off that overall "Sleek Toreador" look. The only (semi) negative is the shirt.

I don't know why, but there is something about that shirt that looks odd--with the rest of this very luxe looking costume. The shirt says "I just bought it at the Macy's INC section" but the rest of it says "This cost me $5,000 to custom-make!". Other than that: Muy Bueno Takahito!



***Next up: More 2012 Skate Canada International Figure Skating Costume "Two Cents"--The PAIRS and Ice Dance!

Figure Skating Costume Minute: 2012 Skate Canada International--LADIES Costume Recap!

Figure Skating Costume Minute: 2012 Skate Canada International--LADIES Costume Recap!

Ladies Costume Review:

Silver, Gold and Bronze: The winners of the 2012 Skate Canada International Ladies competition--(left to right) Silver
medalist Akiko Suzuki from Japan, Gold medalist Kaetlyn Osmond from
Canada and Bronze medalist Kanako Murakami from Japan--2012 Skate Canada International, ISU Grand
Prix of Figure Skating at WFCU Centre Windsor,
Canada

If you're a Figure Skating Watcher--and fan--you know that Figure Skating is BACK--and that we are now in the midst of the ISU Grand Prix Series of International Figure Skating Competitions. Last weekend was the first installment--Skate America 2012 and you can read/see my Costume Reviews of the Ladies, Men's & Pairs and Ice Dancers. And now, we've traveled a little bit up North and we are onto Skate Canada International 2012.

Let's begin my Costume Recap of the LADIES:

Ksenia Makarova of Russia: For her Free Skate, this Russian beauty skated to "Megapolis". She wore a sea-foam green costume that was modern and very contemporary. The entire costume was solid stretch fabric except for one sleeve that was in an embroidered sequined lace that looked very expensive. Her costume had asymmetrical details and a "cut-out" at the side.

I thought it was unique and definitely stood out among all the other semi-typical figure skating ladies costumes.  I almost wanted the cut out to be wider, and would have liked a teeny bit more fluttering/flare on the "skirt" portion.

The silhouette of Ksenia's costume reminded me A LOT of the bright neon costume Meryl Davis of the US Ice Dance team of David and White wore during the latter part of the last 2011-2012 Season during their Short Dance. Also, in case you forgot...

This above is what Ksenia wore last season to her "Diamond's Are a Girls Best Friend" Medley Free Skate Program. So, her contemporary sea-foam green costume is, indeed, quite a departure.

Akiko Suzuki of Japan: Akiko won the Silver Medal at this weekend's 2012 Skate Canada International. For her Short Program to the "Kill Bill Soundtrack", she wore this black and diamante costume above.

At least she didn't wear Uma Thurman's NY Taxi Cab-yellow jumpsuit!

I thought this was edgy and semi-punk-y for Akiko. I'm usually NOT a fan of those cheap-looking diamantes but in this costume, they kind-of worked (that's a lukewarm endorsement!). I liked the fingerless gloves and open back. It's not every day that you see Akiko looking well, so "out there". Therefore, I give her "Nick Figure Skating Costume Points" for going there!

For her Free Skate, Akiko skated to "O" from Cirque du Soleil. Her costume was pretty fabulous. It had a one-shoulder neckline silhouette, was blue and green and had overt Peacock influences--notice the sequin applique and feathers.I also liked the side draped "skirt" section. This was a very well done costume.

Kanako Murakami of Japan: Murakami wore this ivory and green costume for her Short Program to "Prayer for Taylor". The one-shoulder design was romantic, sweet and expected. She looked like an underwater Nymph rising from the Mediterranean. In other words: I liked. Was it "Fashion-Forward"? or Couture-looking or Directional? Nope, not so mucheey.But, it was very pretty.

For the Free Skate to the Tango-inspired "Oblivion, A Fuego Lento, Adios Nonino", she donned a red-and-black costume with red chiffon cascade ruffles and underskirt. I'm sure she was trying to "vibe" in her Latina side and reflect the Argentinian tango soundtrack of her Free Skate. But maybe, she should have gone to Buenos Aires to actually know what these women wear to dance the Tango. On a good note: the beading looked very intricate and expensive.



Oh Canada:

Kaetlyn Osmond of Canada: Kaetlyn won the Gold at the 2012 Skate Canada International this past weekend. This was a nice achievement, especially since she is considered a "newcomer" and was only assigned one event; therefore not really eligible for the Grand Prix Finals in Russia. But, I can still discuss her costumes of course! For her Short Program, she skated to Perez Prado's "Mambo No. 8" and "Gwendoline".

She was shimming and shaking in her black and crystal-filled costume. I really liked this mock-neck/long sleeve number. The fringed "car-wash" skirt section was a bit too "low-rent" for me...but I get that skaters and their designers want to come up with different ways of expressing movement in the "skirt" sections of the costumes. I liked the light-to-heavy beading in the torso portion of her costume seen above.

For her Free Skate to "Carmen Ballet Suite by Georges Bizet", she chose to wear red and black. Oh what a surprise. It's CARMEN. Hello. I wish once, someone would skate to "Carmen" in NEON GREEN! Seriously. Moving on...

 Her costume was predictable and almost "Pageant Betty" from the front...

But I liked the back--which featured four straps and and was very open (yes, it was covered in illusion of course). As a whole, however, the costume seemed dyslexic; the front didn't match the back and it looked like two costumes combined into one. The front says "I am the Third Runner Up at Miss World"--and the back says "I'm going to VEGAS!". My suggestion is to make the front design a little bit more original and directional. But still, keep within the fact that A) she's SIXTEEN, and B) that she's skating to Carmen. Not an easy task! And again: CONGRATULATIONS for getting the Gold for Canada!!



*** Next Up: The 2012 Skate Canada International Ice Dancers, Men's and Those GERMAN Pairs multi-colored unitards!!!!