It's that time of year again! We're starting to see which skaters are wearing what and what trends are in skating dresses for the season. Some time I'll take the time to make longer introductions for each costume designer, but not right now. If anyone could help me find the instagrams/social media of Canadian, Russian, Japanese, or other figure skating dress designers and makers to track that would be awesome.
So far most of the elite skaters haven't competed or haven't competed in their final program dresses, but I figured I'd start making lists now.
Confirmed:
-The Well Dressed Skater - Nathan Chen FS (possibly a rough draft or a placeholder)
-Costume House - Gabby Daleman EX, Valentina Marchei (Exhibition?, Barbie Girl program)
Watchlist:
The Well Dressed Skater - They used to make a lot of dresses for Mirai and Caroline Zhang. Now they make a lot of costumes for a variety of ages. I've noticed they've been dressing a lot of male Seniors lately!
Ximena Davalos - Made Courtney Hicks's dresses last year and appears to be ramping up the dress making for figure skaters. There are a few things on her instagram that may or may not be drawings or previews for other skating dresses.
Lisa McKinnon - Has made many skating dresses and costumes for Senior competitors (the most worn dress-maker at the 2018 Olympics IIRC). Starr Andrews is a frequent customer, and the SP dress she wore at her recent CS competition was a Lisa McKinnon from last season. Also made this great SoI costume for Ashley Wagner.
Ladu Design - Makes a lot of costumes for top skaters (men in particular).
Pat Pearsall - She's made costumes for Mirai and Brynne McIsaac as recently as last season, but doesn't post much on instagram. We'll see if she's doing any dresses this season.
Brad Griffies - He's made a lot of costumes for top male and female skaters in recent years. Trends seem to be moving from him to Lisa McKinnon, but I bet he'll get at least a few top skaters as clients.
Tania Bass - She used to be one of the top designers, but now she's mainly making things for local NY skaters. Still, she does get good business from some Senior skaters (pair's in particular) so I bet we'll see a few dresses from her.
Braden Overett (Verettosport) - He made Adam's costumes last season and appears to be making some skating dresses this season as well. I don't know if he has any Senior or Junior clients yet, but I hope so! He's very talented.
Costume House - I think this brand is relatively new. Last season they worked with Meagan Duhamel for promotion. This season they seem to be ramping up production of skatewear along with promotion. This season they've made an entire collection in collaboration with Gabby Daleman. The brand's aesthetic seems to be rather unique, so I'm excited to see it.
Del Arbour - They mostly make Senior/Junior dresses for synchro teams, but occasionally they'll make stuff for singles skaters.
Mathieu Caron - He mainly makes things for Ice Dance teams including Virtue/Moir, Chock/Bates, and Hubbel/Donahue. He also does pair's and has a few pictures of singles skaters on his instagram. I'd expect to see at least once ice dance team dressed by him if not more. His focus isn't on skating dresses (ballroom and fashion seem to be larger focuses of his work), so I wouldn't expect to see him making a lot of costumes.
The Costume Lady - She works out of CS, so there's a lot of people who go to her. Last year she dressed Gilles/Poirer and Angela Wang. She's also made costumes for Scimeca/Knirem and others. Because she's not that active on social media it's hard to know what she's made each year!
Jan Longmire - She has dressed a number of top skaters over the years including Sasha Cohen and Karen Chen. She has a fairly new instagram with previews of some dresses, but she mostly posts her art and sketches of dresses, so it doesn't seem like she's advertising what she made as much as what she will make.
The Tutu trend based on Alina is real for young skaters. Del Arbour and Jan Longmire have made made at least one each. I know Ladu's made a few tutus already for young skaters, but most of those skaters are closer to 8 years old than 18 years old, so I don't think it will be trendy in Seniors.
Shiny, metallic fabric also seems to be coming up. Brad Griffies posted that he was experimenting with it and Costume House seems to have a whole line of dresses made with shiny silver and gold fabric. I think that might have a better chance of being a popular Senior trend.
ETA a few people I'd forgotten about.
So far most of the elite skaters haven't competed or haven't competed in their final program dresses, but I figured I'd start making lists now.
Confirmed:
-The Well Dressed Skater - Nathan Chen FS (possibly a rough draft or a placeholder)
-Costume House - Gabby Daleman EX, Valentina Marchei (Exhibition?, Barbie Girl program)
Watchlist:
The Well Dressed Skater - They used to make a lot of dresses for Mirai and Caroline Zhang. Now they make a lot of costumes for a variety of ages. I've noticed they've been dressing a lot of male Seniors lately!
Ximena Davalos - Made Courtney Hicks's dresses last year and appears to be ramping up the dress making for figure skaters. There are a few things on her instagram that may or may not be drawings or previews for other skating dresses.
Lisa McKinnon - Has made many skating dresses and costumes for Senior competitors (the most worn dress-maker at the 2018 Olympics IIRC). Starr Andrews is a frequent customer, and the SP dress she wore at her recent CS competition was a Lisa McKinnon from last season. Also made this great SoI costume for Ashley Wagner.
Ladu Design - Makes a lot of costumes for top skaters (men in particular).
Pat Pearsall - She's made costumes for Mirai and Brynne McIsaac as recently as last season, but doesn't post much on instagram. We'll see if she's doing any dresses this season.
Brad Griffies - He's made a lot of costumes for top male and female skaters in recent years. Trends seem to be moving from him to Lisa McKinnon, but I bet he'll get at least a few top skaters as clients.
Tania Bass - She used to be one of the top designers, but now she's mainly making things for local NY skaters. Still, she does get good business from some Senior skaters (pair's in particular) so I bet we'll see a few dresses from her.
Braden Overett (Verettosport) - He made Adam's costumes last season and appears to be making some skating dresses this season as well. I don't know if he has any Senior or Junior clients yet, but I hope so! He's very talented.
Costume House - I think this brand is relatively new. Last season they worked with Meagan Duhamel for promotion. This season they seem to be ramping up production of skatewear along with promotion. This season they've made an entire collection in collaboration with Gabby Daleman. The brand's aesthetic seems to be rather unique, so I'm excited to see it.
Del Arbour - They mostly make Senior/Junior dresses for synchro teams, but occasionally they'll make stuff for singles skaters.
Mathieu Caron - He mainly makes things for Ice Dance teams including Virtue/Moir, Chock/Bates, and Hubbel/Donahue. He also does pair's and has a few pictures of singles skaters on his instagram. I'd expect to see at least once ice dance team dressed by him if not more. His focus isn't on skating dresses (ballroom and fashion seem to be larger focuses of his work), so I wouldn't expect to see him making a lot of costumes.
The Costume Lady - She works out of CS, so there's a lot of people who go to her. Last year she dressed Gilles/Poirer and Angela Wang. She's also made costumes for Scimeca/Knirem and others. Because she's not that active on social media it's hard to know what she's made each year!
Jan Longmire - She has dressed a number of top skaters over the years including Sasha Cohen and Karen Chen. She has a fairly new instagram with previews of some dresses, but she mostly posts her art and sketches of dresses, so it doesn't seem like she's advertising what she made as much as what she will make.
The Tutu trend based on Alina is real for young skaters. Del Arbour and Jan Longmire have made made at least one each. I know Ladu's made a few tutus already for young skaters, but most of those skaters are closer to 8 years old than 18 years old, so I don't think it will be trendy in Seniors.
Shiny, metallic fabric also seems to be coming up. Brad Griffies posted that he was experimenting with it and Costume House seems to have a whole line of dresses made with shiny silver and gold fabric. I think that might have a better chance of being a popular Senior trend.
ETA a few people I'd forgotten about.
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Long sleeved shirt, black pants... Smart guy. Hey, I was a fan of 'the Chen's' casual, low maintenance look. Bring it back, Nathan! 
