Vera Wang on Figure Skating, Costume Craft and the New “Love” Fragrance: How Design Shapes Performance and Pageantry

Table of Contents

  1. Key Highlights
  2. Introduction
  3. From Rink to Runway: How a Skater Became a Costume Architect
  4. The Costume as Performance Partner: Balancing Aesthetics and Mechanics
  5. Trends Shaping Modern Skating Costumes
  6. The Materials That Matter: Fabrics, Embellishments and Durability
  7. Iconic Moments and Their Clothes: When Costume Becomes Cultural Memory
  8. Costume Regulation, Judging and Audience Perception
  9. The Designer–Athlete Collaboration: Process and Priorities
  10. Scent, Ritual and Performance: Vera Wang’s “Love” and Skating Memories
  11. Wellness, Recovery and the Aesthetic of Youth
  12. The Cultural Weight of Skating: Why the Sport Still Captivates
  13. Practical Takeaways for Designers, Coaches and Athletes
  14. The Larger Picture: Fashion’s Role in Athletic Identity
  15. FAQ

Key Highlights

  • Vera Wang’s lifelong connection to figure skating has informed decades of costume innovation: multi-directional stretch fabrics, illusion sheers and couture-level construction balance aesthetics with athletic demands.
  • Modern trends — glitz, longer skirts, and red-carpet influences — are reshaping both the look and the mechanics of competitive skating; Wang warns that style choices can affect jumps and spins.
  • Wang’s new fragrance, Love, and her personal scent memory (Bal à Versailles) reveal how scent, ritual and symbolism intersect with athletic identity and performance.

Introduction

Vera Wang arrived at the rink as an athlete before she became synonymous with bridal couture and red-carpet sophistication. Her early years as a competitive skater — including participation in the 1968 U.S. Figure Skating Championships — gave her a unique vantage point: she understands the sport’s physical ruthlessness and its theatrical demands. That duality still guides her work. Over decades she has dressed champions, translated movement into silhouette, and elevated skating costumes to a level that earned her induction into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

At the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Wang watched the programs, examined the trends and weighed in on the tensions facing modern skating: the pressure of social media, the pull of spectacle, and the technical realities that govern what a costume must do. She also discussed a more personal project — Love, her newest fragrance — and the way scent and memory thread through performance. The conversation illuminates how costume design, choreography, athlete identity and even scent together create the modern figure-skating moment.

This article synthesizes Wang’s observations from Milan and expands them with practical design insights, technical considerations and historical perspective. It serves as a field guide for anyone interested in how fashion and function meet on the ice.

From Rink to Runway: How a Skater Became a Costume Architect

Vera Wang’s relationship with figure skating predates her fashion career. Competing as a teenager taught her the realities athletes face: hours alone on the ice, intense physical training, the chronic risk of injury and the unusual marriage of athleticism and performance. Those lessons have shaped how she approaches costume design.

Early on, Wang recognized that a skating costume had to be more than a pretty dress. It must accommodate the extremes of the sport — the g-force of spins, the explosive force of jumps, the contortions of choreography and the rapid temperature changes between warm-up and competition. For Nancy Kerrigan’s Olympic wardrobe, Wang introduced illusion sheers that moved with the body. That specific application of a fabric commonly seen on evening wear into sportswear marked a turning point: a design solution born of utility that also delivered the emotional language required for competition.

The transition from skater to designer carries practical advantages. Designers without first-hand experience can miss subtle demands: the way seams can chafe during a throw jump in pairs, how layered fabrics can trap air and alter rotation, or how a neckline that looks elegant in a fitting room might interfere with chin position during a layback spin. Wang’s background eliminated guesswork and informed a process oriented around movement rather than static appearance.

Real-world example: Michelle Kwan’s 2002 “Field of Dreams” costume—an elegant gold design by Wang—illustrates this synthesis. The outfit read beautifully on camera and supported Kwan’s technical elements. That was not luck. It reflected intimate knowledge of how to sculpt fabric and line for the camera, judges and the skater.

The Costume as Performance Partner: Balancing Aesthetics and Mechanics

A competitive costume must meet a trio of often-conflicting requirements: visual storytelling, safety and unobstructed biomechanics. Designers must anticipate the sport’s requirements and make aesthetic compromises when necessary.

Key mechanical considerations

  • Multi-directional elasticity: Skating demands extension, flexion and rotation. Fabrics must stretch in all relevant directions to prevent tearing, allow clearance for limbs and maintain fit at high speeds.
  • Seam placement and construction: Strategic seam placement reduces friction, prevents tearing during aerial maneuvers and preserves range of motion. Flat-lock seams and bonded hems are common choices to minimize bulk.
  • Weight and fabric layering: Heavier embellishments can affect center of gravity and rotation. Designers balance visual impact with lightness, often anchoring volume away from rotation axes.
  • Airflow and centrifugal force: Full, long skirts can alter aerodynamics, adding drag and changing how a skater spins. Designers must test skirts’ behavior at speed.

How these considerations intersect with choreography Costumes are not mere props. They are choreographic partners. A choreographer’s concept — whether romantic, dark, or technically driven — will determine line, silhouette and texture. For example, a piece emphasizing long, fluid lines might call for a skirt that exaggerates extension; a jump-heavy program requires minimal interference with rotation. When the choreography asks for lifts and throws, pairs costumes need reinforcement at stress points and secure fastenings to prevent mishaps.

Example from Milan 2026: Madison Chock and Evan Bates earned praise not just for execution but for the couture-level synthesis of costume, concept and choreography. Their outfits demonstrated meticulous structural work — a marriage of construction and visual narrative that matched the complexity of their program. Wang described their costumes as “divine,” underscoring how elite pairs push costume craft to couture standards.

Trends Shaping Modern Skating Costumes

The aesthetic language of skating borrows from cinematic wardrobes, runway trends and the red carpet, filtered through athletic necessity. Several currents define contemporary costume choices.

Glitz and spectacle Many competitive programs lean into theatricality. Rhinestones, metallic fabrics and illusion sheers provide camera-catching sparkle under arena lights. These embellishments serve a practical purpose as well: they enhance visibility from the stands and on television, a non-trivial factor as public engagement increasingly occurs via broadcast and social platforms.

Longer skirts and expanded silhouettes A notable shift is the adoption of longer, fuller skirts for female skaters. These skirts elongate lines and add drama, particularly on slower, balletic programs. The trade-off is mechanical: longer skirts can create additional drag and potentially alter rotational dynamics during jumps and spins. Wang observed this trend with caution, suggesting that while visually compelling, it might “hurt the skaters’ jumps and their spins.”

Men’s aesthetic evolution Male costumes have evolved from strictly functional, aerodynamic suits to more expressive looks. Nathan Chen’s shift from one-piece aerodynamic suits to a two-piece approach exemplifies this change. Functionally, the two-piece allowed greater freedom and comfort; aesthetically it gave Chen visual differentiation and the ability to tailor silhouette in ways a single unit could not. Wang’s work with male skaters reflects a pragmatic approach: aerodynamic considerations remain, but personal expression now plays a larger role.

The punk-romantic dichotomy Alysa Liu stands out as an athlete whose on-ice persona blends rebellious visual style with romantic program choices. Wang described Liu as “an original” and highlighted the emotional resonances that can come from contrarian pairings — punk visual cues married to sweeping music. This contrast creates narrative tension: athletic swagger offset by lyrical performance. Costume design in this context becomes a tool for contradiction, adding layers of meaning beyond mere ornament.

Real-world comparison: the balance between spectacle and sport is visible in other athletic aesthetic evolutions. Gymnastics, for example, has seen similar trends where leotard embellishment and silhouette expansion follow broader fashion lines while still honoring strict competition regulations.

The Materials That Matter: Fabrics, Embellishments and Durability

Modern skating costumes use a sophisticated palette of performance textiles. Wang emphasized multi-directional stretch as the central requirement. Beyond that, designers choose from a toolkit of specialized materials and construction techniques.

Core materials

  • Stretch fabrics: Lycra, elastane blends, and high-grade spandex dominate. They provide the freedom required for large ranges of motion and recovery after intense deformation.
  • Illusion mesh: A fine, skin-toned mesh (illusion) creates the visual effect of bare skin while providing coverage and securing embellishments. Vera Wang introduced illusion into sportswear for Nancy Kerrigan, and it has since migrated widely into evening wear and performance clothing.
  • Technical knits: Engineered knits with variable compression allow designers to sculpt silhouette and support muscles without rigid boning.
  • Light chiffons and georgettes: Used sparingly for skirt panels to add movement and softness; careful testing ensures they won’t balloon excessively during spins.
  • Reinforcement materials: Hidden linings and bonded panels add strength where stress is concentrated — waistlines, shoulders and lift points in pairs.

Embellishment techniques

  • Rhinestone application: Flat-back crystals and custom-placed rhinestones create spark without undue weight. Adhesives and heat-setting techniques must endure sweat and repeated laundering.
  • Embroidered overlays: Lightweight embroidery can add texture and dimension without significant mass.
  • Modular accents: Detachable elements allow designers to adjust weight distribution and alter looks between short and free programs.

Durability and maintenance Competitive costumes must withstand repeated practices and competition-day stresses. Reinforced stress points, strong invisibly-applied adhesives and careful selection of laundering protocols extend costume life. Teams and skaters often rely on multiple copies of a program costume for competition season to account for wear, last-minute repairs and travel logistics.

Practical advice for designers and teams

  • Prototype and test in practice: Never assume a costume will behave the same under performance conditions as in a fitting room. Climatic changes, sweat and rotational speed reveal weaknesses.
  • Keep backups of critical seams: A quick hem or seam failure can end a program. Taping and covert reinforcement reduce risk.
  • Coordinate with choreographers and coaches early: Aligning costume choices with technical demands prevents late-stage compromises.

Iconic Moments and Their Clothes: When Costume Becomes Cultural Memory

Certain costumes transcend function and become part of skating lore. Wang’s work on Nancy Kerrigan’s 1994 Olympic wardrobe and Michelle Kwan’s 2002 “Field of Dreams” outfit are examples where costume and performance fused into a lasting image.

Nancy Kerrigan, 1994 Kerrigan’s Olympic moment occurred against a backdrop of drama and scandal that dominated global news. Wang’s costume choices for Kerrigan — including the early use of illusion sheers — gave a modern, elegant frame to a performance that was viewed by millions. The episode highlighted how costume can influence public perception and how off-ice narratives can overwhelm athletic achievement.

Michelle Kwan, 2002 Kwan’s “Field of Dreams” program featured an elegant gold costume by Wang that balanced glamour with technical practicality. The outfit respected Kwan’s aesthetic preference and movement needs—shorter skirts that minimized centrifugal force while providing the essential visual poetry audiences expect.

Madison Chock & Evan Bates, 2026 Wang praised these ice dancers for couture-level costume design that matched choreography and musicality. Their costumes demonstrated how meticulous construction and concept coherence can elevate a program from performance to artful storytelling.

These cases show that costumes can be both protective armor and cultural artifact, shaping how performances are remembered.

Costume Regulation, Judging and Audience Perception

Costume choices interact with judging regulations and the audience’s perceptions. The International Skating Union (ISU) enforces rules that prohibit political statements and excessive nudity, and it expects costumes to be safe and respectful. Beyond formal rules, judges and audiences respond to how well a costume supports the program’s intended narrative.

Judges’ focus vs. audience spectacle

  • Technical judges prioritize execution: jumps, spins and footwork remain the primary basis for scoring under the ISU judging system. Costumes are peripheral to scores unless they cause a rule infraction or hinder performance.
  • Program component judges evaluate interpretation and presentation: costume plays a role here, as a cohesive visual concept can enhance perceived artistry.
  • Audience engagement can affect broadcast narratives and athlete popularity: a captivating costume helps a program travel beyond the rink via social media clips and highlight reels.

Regulatory constraints and their implications

  • No political messaging: Costumes must avoid overt political or offensive imagery.
  • Modesty standards: Excessive exposure that courts controversy may be flagged and distract from performance.
  • Safety compliance: Attachments that can come loose and pose hazards risk penalties.

Designers walk a fine line: they must create something visually arresting that also aligns with competition rules and serves the athlete’s technical needs.

The Designer–Athlete Collaboration: Process and Priorities

A high-functioning relationship between designer and skater is iterative and technical. It begins with conversation and ends with fine-tuning under performance conditions.

Typical workflow

  1. Brief: The skater and coach articulate program concept, music, technical content and personal comfort boundaries.
  2. Sketching and material selection: Designers propose silhouettes, fabrics and details that match movement requirements.
  3. Mock-ups and prototypes: Muslin or lightweight prototypes test range of motion and seam placement.
  4. Embellishment mock-ups: Rhinestones and appliqués are applied to samples and then stress-tested.
  5. Final fittings and alterations: Last-minute adjustments tailor fit for competition conditions.

Communication priorities

  • Technical transparency: Designers must understand the program’s jump content and choreography to avoid interfering with rotation and lifts.
  • Emotional alignment: The costume must reflect the skater’s performance identity. A costume that doesn’t fit the athlete psychologically can hinder confidence.
  • Practical logistics: Travel, repairs, and climate control at competition venues influence fabric choices and maintenance plans.

Case study: Nathan Chen’s shift to two-piece outfits Chen’s move away from one-piece aerobatic suits required the designer to rethink waistband and shirt construction so that separation didn’t compromise streamlined movement. Wang’s solution involved tailored pants and a fitted top that preserved aerodynamic lines while granting Chen visual and physical comfort.

Scent, Ritual and Performance: Vera Wang’s “Love” and Skating Memories

Wang’s creative universe extends beyond fabric. Her newest fragrance, Love, launched in June after six years of development. The bottle — shaped like a ring — is deliberately symbolic. Wang sought a piece that felt collectible, not gimmicky; a perfume that could become an object of ritual and memory.

Fragrance notes and narrative Love features night-blooming florals, tuberose, jasmine and amber. The “flower of the night” motif — a bloom that opens once a year — evokes ephemerality and intensity, metaphors apt for two-week Olympic windows where athletes reveal their peak work. The scent’s composition ties into the emotional arc of competition: longing, triumph, the fleeting quality of performance.

The ring bottle as symbolism Designing a bottle shaped like a ring signals a promise or ritual. Rings mark milestones: commitments, achievements and rites of passage. For athletes, rituals are crucial. A spritz of a familiar scent before stepping onto the ice can anchor nerves and evoke memories of training and success. Wang’s own ritual memory — her mother applying Bal à Versailles behind her ears before competitions — illustrates how scent can be a psychological tool in performance.

Bal à Versailles: a scent memory Bal à Versailles, a vintage blend prominent in Wang’s recollections, nurtured early associations between scent and ritual. That olfactory memory became part of how she prepared for competition. For many performers, consistent sensory cues — scents, music clips, garments — create a predictable routine that calms nerves and sharpens focus.

Practical implications for athletes and teams

  • Establish pre-competition rituals: consistent cues (a scent, a playlist or a warm-up sequence) create psychological stability.
  • Respect regulations: some venues have scent-sensitive environments; teams should ensure fragrances do not affect teammates or venue staff.
  • Use scent strategically: a familiar fragrance can be calming, but when used in excess, it may overwhelm or distract.

Wellness, Recovery and the Aesthetic of Youth

The media often fixates on Vera Wang’s youthful appearance. Her approach to wellness is rooted in practical, sustainable habits rather than extreme regimens.

Daily routines that matter

  • Rest and recovery: sleep is foundational. Wang credits rest with calming and maintaining skin and general well-being.
  • Sun protection: decades spent in indoor rinks taught her to be sun-cautious. Consistent sunscreen use for her children as well underscored prevention.
  • Balanced nutrition: Wang prefers multiple small meals rather than extreme dieting. She likens her approach to a Chinese culinary ethic — variety and moderation.
  • Minimal cosmetics: Wang favors light makeup and restraint; the philosophy is consistent with later-life skin preservation.

For athletes, these principles map well onto performance longevity. Rest, sun protection (for athletes training outdoors), balanced fueling and sensible, sustainable cosmetic routines reduce the risk of burnout and chronic damage.

Real-world athlete parallels Top athletes prioritize periodized rest and nutrition plans that match competition cycles. Proper recovery modalities — sleep, active recovery, and monitored nutrition — preserve performance and appearance without compromising competitive demands.

The Cultural Weight of Skating: Why the Sport Still Captivates

Vera Wang described the Olympics as “one of the purest sporting events,” where athletes compete fiercely yet maintain camaraderie. That paradox — intensity and fellowship — magnifies skating’s appeal.

Elements that sustain public interest

  • The narrative arc: each program is a condensed story with stakes, music and costume. This theatricality creates a strong emotional connection.
  • Visibility and accessibility: televised competitions and social media clips distill performances into viral moments, expanding audience reach.
  • Human drama: behind-the-scenes sacrifices — parents working multiple jobs for ice time, athletes dedicating their lives to training — create resonant human stories.
  • Aesthetic aspiration: costumes and choreography invite comparisons with dance, opera and film, drawing audiences who appreciate visual artistry in addition to sport.

The Nancy Kerrigan–Tonya Harding episode showed television’s power to elevate spectacle over sport. Wang reflected on the paradox there: increased viewership but at the cost of overshadowing athletic achievement with scandal. While sensational episodes have drawn viewers, they are a poor substitute for the sport’s quieter virtues: discipline, artistry and community.

Practical Takeaways for Designers, Coaches and Athletes

For teams and designers contemplating costume choices, several practical principles emerge from Wang’s experience and industry practice.

Design and performance checklist

  • Begin early: costume concept must be integrated into program planning from the start.
  • Prototype under pressure: test costumes in practice environments and recreate competition conditions.
  • Prioritize multi-directional stretch fabrics: these are non-negotiable for safety and comfort.
  • Use detachable embellishments: allow flexibility between short and long programs, and reduce weight during technically dense segments.
  • Maintain backup copies: travel, repairs and wear require spare costumes.
  • Coordinate scent and ritual: choose pre-performance cues mindfully and respectfully to teammates and venue regulations.

For younger skaters and parents

  • Invest in proper fittings and multiple copies of costumes for growth and wear.
  • Understand the trade-offs of trend-driven styles; prioritize technique compatibility over aesthetics alone.
  • Work with designers who communicate clearly with coaches about technical content.

For designers entering sports

  • Learn the sport’s vocabulary: understand jumps, throws and spin mechanics before sketching.
  • Build relationships with coaches: technical input will save time and prevent costly redesigns.
  • Respect athlete identity: a costume must resonate psychologically for the performer.

The Larger Picture: Fashion’s Role in Athletic Identity

Costumes serve as more than clothing; they encode identity, craft and aspiration. As fashion continues to infiltrate athletic aesthetics, the most successful designs will be those that honor technical constraints while amplifying personal voice.

Vera Wang’s career offers a template: technical knowledge, sensitivity to movement and a reverence for narrative produce costumes that endure. Her work at the Olympics is a reminder that sport and fashion share a common goal: telling memorable stories through bodies in motion.

Her new fragrance, Love, extends that philosophy into scent — another mode of personal expression and ritual. The ring-shaped bottle and night-blooming florals articulate a commitment to objects that hold meaning beyond utility. For skaters, designers and audiences, these elements combine to shape how performances are felt, remembered and repeated across generations.

FAQ

Q: What fabrics are best for figure skating costumes? A: Multi-directional stretch fabrics — high-quality spandex, elastane blends and engineered knits — are essential. Illusion mesh provides the appearance of bare skin while offering coverage and anchoring embellishments. Lightweight chiffons and georgettes can add movement but should be used sparingly and tested for aerodynamic behavior. Reinforced linings and bonded seams increase durability.

Q: Will long, flowing skirts affect jumps and spins? A: Longer skirts can add drag and alter rotational dynamics. Designers must prototype and test skirts at performance speeds. Strategic weighting, panel placement and minimal fabric at the rotation axis can preserve visual fullness while limiting adverse effects on jumps and spins.

Q: How do designers ensure costumes are safe for lifts and throws in pairs skating? A: Reinforced seams, hidden linings, secure fastenings and durable attachment points at stress zones protect against wardrobe failure. Designers collaborate with coaches to identify lift techniques and anchor points, and they often create duplicates for training and competition to minimize risk.

Q: Do costumes factor into scoring? A: Costumes are not scored directly, but they influence Program Component Scores (interpretation, presentation) if they enhance or detract from the performance’s artistic cohesion. Costumes that cause technical interference or violate ISU regulations can produce deductions or negative attention.

Q: How should teams care for embellished skating costumes? A: Spot cleaning and professional hand-cleaning are preferred. Avoid high-temperature washing and harsh detergents that degrade adhesives or embellishments. Maintain spare costumes and a repair kit containing thread, adhesive, spare stones and hem tape for on-the-road fixes.

Q: What is Vera Wang’s new fragrance and why is the bottle shaped like a ring? A: The fragrance is called Love and was developed over six years. Its notes include night-blooming florals, tuberose, jasmine and amber. The ring-shaped bottle is symbolic — intended as a collectible, ritual object that signifies commitment and memory rather than a gimmick.

Q: Can scent impact performance? A: Yes. Consistent sensory cues, such as a signature scent, can stabilize pre-performance routines and evoke confidence. Athletes should use scents judiciously and be mindful of sensitivities among teammates and regulations within venues.

Q: What practical advice does Vera Wang offer for longevity and wellness? A: Wang emphasizes rest, sun protection, balanced small meals throughout the day, and restraint with cosmetics. She advocates moderation over extreme diets, an approach consistent with long-term health and appearance preservation.

Q: How do modern costume trends reflect broader fashion movements? A: Skating costume trends often mirror red-carpet and runway aesthetics — increased glamor, embellishment, and silhouette experimentation — while necessitating technical compromises for sport-specific demands. Designers translate couture techniques into lightweight, durable constructions to meet those dual requirements.

Q: How can an emerging designer get involved in skating costume work? A: Learn the sport’s technical requirements, build relationships with skaters and coaches, and demonstrate a willingness to prototype and iterate under performance conditions. Practical experience in rehearsal spaces and competitions will accelerate understanding of what works on the ice.

Q: What is the Hall of Fame recognition for Wang? A: Vera Wang has been inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame for her significant contributions to figure skating costume design over several decades.

Q: How do costume designers balance a skater’s personal style with judging expectations? A: Effective designers align a skater’s aesthetic identity with choreography and technical content, creating a cohesive visual statement that supports judges’ perception of interpretation and presentation, while ensuring compliance with ISU rules and technical feasibility.

Q: Are detachable or modular costume elements becoming more common? A: Yes. Detachable elements allow costume flexibility between short and free programs and reduce weight during technically dense segments. They also facilitate travel and repairs while enabling multiple visual options from a single base garment.

Q: What examples show costume design’s impact on public memory? A: Michelle Kwan’s gold 2002 “Field of Dreams” costume and Nancy Kerrigan’s 1994 outfits (during the Tonya Harding scandal) demonstrate how a costume can become part of a performance’s cultural resonance. Madison Chock and Evan Bates’ couture-level costumes at Milan 2026 are contemporary examples of design shaping perception.

Q: How should parents support young skaters’ costume needs? A: Prioritize proper fittings, budget for duplicates, ensure costumes are comfortable and non-restrictive, and work with reliable designers who understand the sport. Teach children to care for delicate garments and keep a repair kit for competitions.

Q: Does Wang recommend any specific ritual before competing? A: Wang cites the power of sensory rituals — her mother’s use of Bal à Versailles behind her ears before performances is an example. She suggests rituals that calm and focus the athlete, but highlights moderation and awareness of teammates’ sensitivities.

Q: Where can one purchase Vera Wang’s Love fragrance? A: Love launched in June and is available through select retailers and Vera Wang’s official distribution channels. Retail availability may vary by region.

Q: What is the future of costume innovation in figure skating? A: Innovation will continue at the intersection of performance textiles, lightweight embellishment technologies and collaboration between designers and sports scientists. Expect smarter fabrics that offer compression and support without stiffness, and embellishment methods that reduce weight while enhancing camera presence. Designers who combine technical rigor with narrative sensitivity will define future aesthetics.

This account synthesizes Vera Wang’s perspective from Milan and places costume practice in a technical, historical and cultural framework. The goal is to show how design choices resonate across performance, memory and the athlete’s lived experience — and why a costume remains one of the most powerful tools in a skater’s arsenal.