Figure Skating Costume Minute--Illusion or NO Illusion?

Figure Skating Costume Minute--Illusion or NO Illusion?

Illusion or No Illusion?

Backless? Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia and their Short Program costumes to "Love Theme from The Godfather"

Illusion vs. No Illusion. That is the Figure Skating Costume Question. First, let's get some "fabric schooling" out of the way for the folks that may not be on the "up-and-up" on fabrics and what illusion is. Illusion is a mesh/netting-like fabrication very popular in figure skating costumes (as well as with Wedding Gowns, Beauty Pageants, competitive Ballroom Dancing...). It can come in stretch (usually the most popular) and non-stretch. The content is usually nylon, elastene, Spandex,
polyester and/or maybe some silk in the finer, more expensive versions. It
is most often used in nude-or skin-like colors. It is great for mimicking
skin when you want coverage but the effect of being bare. Of course, it
also comes in other different colors (black being the next most popular
color).

 Illusion back of a wedding/evening gown

Illusion back of a Marchesa wedding gown design

The reason it's used--especially in the Figure Skating world is threefold: the fact that it can replicate the look of nude skin but still being "covered"; it can re-create certain style elements such as a "Strapless", One Shoulder or "backless" look and still make the wearer able to do strenuous sport activities; and because of certain "Costume Guide-rules" within the various elements of Figure Skating (Ice Dance, Ladies, Pairs) which require only a "certain amount of skin" to be showing.



Speaking of Rules, here they are:



Rule 500 Definition of Skate Blade and Clothing: At ISU
Championships, the Olympic Winter Games and International Competitions,
the clothing of the Competitors must be modest, dignified and
appropriate for athletic competition – not garish or theatrical in
design. Clothing may, however, reflect the character of the music
chosen.

a) The clothing must not give the effect of excessive
nudity for athletic sport. Men must wear trousers; no tights are
permitted. Accessories and props are not permitted. The decoration on
costumes must be non-detachable.

b) Clothing not meeting the
foregoing requirements must be penalized by a deduction of 1.0 point
(see Rule 353, paragraph 1.m) ii)).



Now, recently, especially while doing my "Costume Recaps" of this season's ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series, I've noticed a lot of "backless" looks from the skaters (the female, of course) as well as lots of illusion.



Here are some Photo Examples:

No Illusion Semi-Backless--Alena Leonova of Russia: This is her apple green sequined Bollywood-inspired costume to her Short Program to "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)" by the Pussy Cat Dolls 

Illusion Princess: Above is Gracie Gold of the USA and her red glittering costume to "Hernando's Hideaway" as well as her "strapless" blue sequined costume for her Free Program Costume to Life is Beautiful soundtrack by Nicola Piovan. Both were designed by Brad Griffies and both featured nude illusion that is perfectly dyed to match her skin color.

Too Dark Illusion--Caroline Zhang of the USA and her Short Program Costume to "The Rushing Wings of Dawn" by Tim Janis. Here's another example of a Ladies Skater and her 2012-2013 Grand Prix Series Costume and the use of illusion. Here I think the coloring was too dark for Caroline's skin tone. But, maybe because there are crystals on it, the effect was NOT to make it look as if she was actually strapless or backless and therefore the too-dark illusion was somewhat intentional. What do you guys think?



Now, one particular skater--a Pairs skater--might be bucking the "illusion" unspoken figure skating costume rule: Tatiana Volosozhar of Russia:

Above is Tatiana in her Short Program to "Love Theme From The Godfather" costume for this season--a halter front and plunging back fishtail-hemmed dress with pearl necklace detail. At first glance, I thought "Wait a minute! Is there no illusion back there?" And then, quickly, I thought, "how in the name of the Costume Gods, is she being held up?"



Let's take a closer look:

From these close-ups, it looks as if there's a very strong nude elastic strap holding the front in place. It does not seem as if there is any of that nude-colored stretch-mesh illusion. I thought this was very unusual. Since, most of these figure skaters use illusion.

In this photo above, you can see that elastic across-the-back strap and possibly...only possibly, a hint of maybe...a line of an illusion fabrication---but...I think it's probably just a tan strap line--a remnant from her last Holiday in Ibiza probably.



Another example of the No Illusion is...

Canada's Tessa Virtue of the Gold Medal-winning Ice Dance team of Virtue and Moir--For their "Carmen" by Rodion Shchedrin Free Dance, she wears a plunging front, open back black costume. The front does have illusion fabrication (and a very good one!), while the back...

...Is Bare! (Mon Dieu) If you look closely at the the upper back left side, there is a nude colored elastic strap (being covered by her ponytail) holding the back up, as it were. But the shocking thing is, that yes, there is NO ILLUSION back there. Could this be the Figure Skating Costume Trend?



Could Figure Skating Costumes go the route of Dancing With The Stars?

Emmy Award-winning Costume Designer Randall Christensen creates these fabulous KRAZEE and Ballroom Dancing Perfect costumes for the ABC hit show "Dancing With The Stars" where miraculously there is little illusion used and lots of open backs, open sides and just about open-everything else, held together by double-stick tape, some heavy elastic straps and a Costume Prayer (And I'm sure there is much more inside those costumes that make them stay where they should!)



So, I put these question up to you guys--the Figure Skating Costume Fans? Illusion or No Illusion? What do you think? Let me know!!

Figure Skating Costume Minute--Rostelecom Cup/Cup of Russia 2012--Ice Dance Costumes Recap!

Figure Skating Costume Minute--Rostelecom Cup/Cup of Russia 2012--Ice Dance Costumes Recap!

Ice Dance Style:

Applique Dance: Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada during their Short Dance, Rostelecom Cup 2012, Megasport Sports Center Moscow Russia

Winding down my Costume Reviews for last weekend's ISU Grand Prx of Figure Skating Rostelecom Cup (Cup of Russia) 2012...here's my final one, the Ice Dance Costumes. There is lots to discuss including a Kimono-clad Geisha, super-plunging neckline and an odd "headdress" accessory Figure Skating Costume Trend--Let's begin...

Top Three Ice Dance: (left to right) Silver Medalist from Russia Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov, Gold Medalist
from Canada Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Bronze Medalist from Russia
Victoria Sinitsina and Ruslan Zhiganshin, ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Rostelecom Cup 2012,
Megasport Sports Center Moscow, Russia

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada: Virtue and Moir won the Gold in Moscow for their STUNNING Free Dance (and a great Short one as well, of course). I reviewed their costumes for their new 2012-2013 season costumes for their Free Dance in my Skate Canada 2012 post HERE. They skated to "Carmen" by Rodion Shchedrin and I thought their costumes were FLAWLESS--their costumes were chic, directional, modern and Fashion Week-fab. I. LOVED. THEM.

Tessa's deep plunging neckline costume looked straight out of the NY/Paris/Milan Runways! And how FRESH to see a "Carmen" performance and not see RED or a single Red Rose--Olé to that!

For their Short Dance Costume--which I hadn't talked about--they skated to "The Waltz Goes On" by Anthony Hopkins. I thought these were pretty, had a nod to Period Costumes and worked for the Waltz/Polka dance. I also think the fact that they weren't so matchy-matchy--partner wise--worked. I liked the delicate placement of the feathers in her sequined chiffon costume/dress. I'm not a fan of the huge creme underskirt, but overall it was a pretty look.

Penny Coomes and Nicholas Buckland of Great Britain:  Coomes and Buckland skated their Short Polka/Waltz Dance to "Scalliwag" by Gaelic Storm (Celtic Music) and "Rhythms of the Fall" (from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics).

Their costumes combined Country-and-Western elements (his sequined-trimmed Western Shirt) as well as British "Period"-like elements in Penny's dusty rose and blue costume. Her back covered button detail, contrast yoke and bow are especially cute.

Nelli Zhiganshina and Alexander Gazsi of Germany: For their Free Dance titled "Two From the Grave", they skated to three songs "Tore My Heart", "Et Maintenant" and "Rama Lama". They look like these messy/torn-up seemingly-rising-from-the-shipwrecked-"grave"couple. It's such a MESS that I'm actually all for it. I juts feel bad for Alexander, because he really looks as if he got the BAD end of the Costume-and-Makeup Stick.

Ksenia Monko and Kirill Khaliavin of Russia: Monko and Khaliavin skated their Short Dance to "Sous le Ciel de Paris" by Yves Montand in these black, white and silver costumes. Can you say "BA-BA-BORING". Ooops, I think I just did. Try harder next time. PLEASE.

Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia: For their Free Dance Music from the soundtrack of "Ghost (musical soundtrack)", these two Russian Ice Dance skaters did their best to phone in the 90's film and--later--21st Century Musical--with their retro-looking costumes.



Unfortunately, Ilinykh and Katsalapov looked as if they were either skating to the 1983 film "Flashdance" or an "American Apparel" ad. This is just my "Nick Two Cents"...

Alex and Maia Shibutani of USA: This brother-and-sister Ice Dance Team skated their Free Dance to John Williams' "Memoirs of a Geisha":

"Memoirs of a Geisha"

I thought the Shibutani brother-and-sister team costumes were perfect. Alex looked sublimely chic in his grey side draped waist-coat/vest, black pants and white dress short. Maia was a vision of pretty in her rose-pink and steel-gray Kimono-and-Obi costume.



And Now, The Headdress Figure Skating Costume Accessory Trend of 2012:



A trend of sorts--for Figure Skating Costumes--is the Headdress accessory.  Let's take a look at how it has surfaced so far during the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2012-2013 Season.

"Slumdog Millionaire" Bollywood Princess: Alena Leonova of Russia skates her Free Skate, ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating 2012-2013

Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani of USA: These cutie Americans skated their Short Dance to "Ojos Azul", "Dolencias", "Sikureada". I think they looked FAB-u-LOUS. Costume-wise, these two cannot do any wrong...at least so far. There was a little bit of Brazil, Latino, Carnival and Indo-Asian influences in these looks...and I loved it. 

Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia: For their Short Dance to "Andijan Polka", they wore these costumes above---and she wore...yes, a sequined forehead-accessory; I am telling you, it's the LATEST, for Figure Skaters! These two--for their Short Dance--were one of my FAVORITES--in terms of their Costumes! The print, the "Miss Universe Parade-of-Nations Costumes" aspect...all of it, fit perfectly.

Figure Skating Costume Minute--2012 Skate Canada International--Pairs and Ice Dance Costumes!

Figure Skating Costume Minute--2012 Skate Canada International--Pairs and Ice Dance Costumes!

Unitard KRAZEEE, and Carmen SUBLIME...and much more: Pairs and Ice Dance Costumes!

Top Three Pairs: (left to right) Silver
medalist from Canada Megan Duhamel and Eric Radford, Gold medalist from
Germany Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy, Bronze medalist from Italy
Stefania Berton and Ondrej Hotarek, 2012 Skate Canada International, ISU Grand Prix of
Figure Skating at WFCU Centre Windsor, Canada

Alright kids, we're now wrapping up my Skate Canada 2012 Costume Reviews--you can read about the LADIES here and the MEN here , in case you missed it--so now it is time for the PAIRS and Ice Dance. And buckle your Costume Seat Belts...it's going to be a bumpy prints-and-sequins ride.



Let's being with the Unitard Costumed "Elephant in the Room"--yes, the German Gold Medal-winning Pairs team of Savchenko and Szolkowy: These two UBER fit Figure Skating Pairs couple are famous (or is it infamous?) for their "Pink Panther" get-ups of two years ago, which they wore for their 2010-2011 Season Long Program to, (you guessed it), "The Pink Panther":

 No one thought they could top these costumes above. Well, kiddies. They did this year. Read on...

Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany: For their Short Dance to "Kismet" by Bond (the Australian/British string quartet specializing in classical/pop crossover music), they went very Cirque du Soleil splatter-paint/tie-dye with crystals--for their costumes. When they appeared on the ice at Skate Canada, I admit I GASPED. It was one of those "What the HE** ???". She wore a predominantly red multicolored unitard with a swirly illusion torso and choker/mock-neck detail. He wore a darker unitard with the Gay Rainbow Flag splattered on half his torso and legs. It made NO SENSE. And I swear that in the close-up images you could see PUFFY PAINT! Yes, PUFFY PAINT. But, surprise: I still liked it. Only because it was so wack-a-do. But (yeah there's a "but"), I know this was not music from "Kismet" the Musical or Film...and yet, part of me wishes that they would have dressed closer to this:

And if you think what they wore for their Short Program was Koo-Koo, this is what they wore for their Long Program--Koo-Koo Part Zwei:

Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy debuted these costumes for their Long Program to "Flamenco Bolero". Robin wore another unitard so it's a good guess that he probably LOVES untitards--or showing off his perfect physique via a unitard. These costumes were like a Costume Tribute to Spanish Catalan artist Joan Miró-meets-Cirque du Soleil (once again!).  

The Miró part took care of the Spanish part in "Flamenco Bolero", but the unitard-splattered-paint costume madness...well, I'm still confused. With that being said, I am a big fan of being surprised, shocked and thrown off my couch when it comes to Figure Skating Costumes. And these two did that. As Koo-Koo as they were, they get my "Nick Costume Vote" for MAJORLY stepping outside the costume box. Although I must say it does become quite distracting...at least to me as a designer. The whole time I'm watching thinking "What is going on here?!?" and not really concentrating on the skating.

Megan Duhamel and Eric Radford of Canada--They got the Silver for Pairs during this past weekend's 2012 Skate Canada International so Congrats to them. They skated to "La Bohème" for their Short Program. So, therefore, their costumes were supposed to reflect 1840's Paris bohemians. Well...not so mucheey. Between the two, they looked like a Sequined Pageant Girl Collides with a Gay Boy Scout.  I like his ascot. That's about it. By the way: was that ascot supposed to qualify as the "Paris" part of "Parisian Bohemians"? Just wondering...

For their Free Skate to "Soundtrack of the 2007 British Film 'Angel' ", he wore an outfit that made him look like a waiter at a local Olive Garden or the Head Concierge at the Four Seasons: a pin-stripe vest, gray shirt, black pants and tie. On a good note, if this was inspired by the music of a 2007 film, his outfit WAS VERY 2007. Her costume was "just there". She could have ordered it from a catalog. Nothing costume fashion-savvy earth shaking.

Stefania Berton and Ondřej Hotárek of Italy--As is obvious from their Free Skate, these two skate to "Flamenco". They got the Bronze at Skate Canada 2012. She looks like a Spanish Flamenco dancer and he looks like a cute Czech boy (he is!) in a red and black sequined trim vest and black pants outfit. Positives: I like the asymmetry of her costume and the embroidered-and-sequined lace detail (which was carried onto to his look). Negatives: Oh gee, it's a red-and-black costume couple doing a Spanish Theme. How original. Not.



The Ice Dance Costume Highlights: 

Ice Dance Top Three: (L-R) Silver medalists Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte of Italy, Gold
medalists Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada and Bronze medalists
Ekaterina Riazanova and Ilia Tkachenko of Russia, 2012 Skate Canada International,
ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating at WFCU Centre Windsor, Canada

Kharis Ralph and Asher Hill of Canada--For her "Yankee Polka" (that's the Dance Theme of this season) Short Dance to "My Fair Lady", these two donned colorful orange and peach-colored costumes that worked well for their number. As you know, I am not a fan of the whole men's vest/dress shirt/pants look but on Asher, it worked. These two always step outside the box with their costumes and this year they do it again. I can't say it is the height of sophistication, but it does get everyone to take notice.

Julia Zlobina and Alexei Sitnikov of Azerbaijan--For their "Waltz/Polka" Short Dance, these two went very colorful--using flame-like apple green and blue designs, against a black backdrop. I think it worked. He is very matchy-matchy to her costume and it's OK. Maybe I am just excited he wasn't wearing a vest that looked as if it came from "Ross Dress For Less" (like some of the other skaters).

Ekaterina Riazanova and Ilia Tkachenko of Russia--For their Free Dance to "The Godfather", they decided to go "Jersey Wedding Guests" in terms of their costumes. Ekaterina wore an ivory knee-length dress with godets to add movement--and Ilia wore a suit that was straight out of 1982. Do you guys think this worked? I'm leaving it up to you to decide.

The only thing that I noticed is that you have to be very careful in wearing light colors and especially ivory--because the heavy makeup can get  on your dress (as seen above). And yes, the knee bandage is VERY CHIC!

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada--They skated their Long Program to "Carmen" by Rodion Shchedrin. Their costumes were FLAWLESS; chic, directional, modern and Fashion Week-fab. I. LOVED. THEM. Not only was I moved by their exciting and fiery program--the modern costumes enhanced it --and really said to a fashion-savvy audience (me!) that we are THE FUTURE of Ice Dancing. And kids, I was listening!

I loved everything about these looks. Tessa's plunging neckline and open-back dress looked like a Balenciaga Paris cocktail dress one could find at Barney's. And I loved that she looked like Kristen Stewart with her darker hair and ponytail extensions. I also liked Scott's solid and sheer top. This was  Figure Skating Male Costume Fashion Chic at its best. But my favorite part was that they made the choice--and risk--to skate to "Carmen" and NOT wear RED! Modern and Chic! They really moved me...with their Free Dance Program and these very 2012 costumes. GO CANADA. And GO Virtue and Moir.