All things Costumes, 2025-26 season

[Sylvia]

15-minute video by NHK World Japan: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/2105248/
"ITO Satomi has designed costumes for many top-tier figure skaters from Japan and overseas. She shares her passion and inspiration for her craft.
Broadcast on December 2, 2025 / Available until December 2, 2026"
Ito's Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/stm_ito/

 

[Sylvia]

Lisa McKinnon's Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/lisamckinnon90210/

 

[Sylvia]

From the U.S. Women's News thread today:

as far as the long program color … dark blue is one of my favorite colors…. baby blue, powder blue looks good on no one and nothing.

ITA. Amber's long program costume is one of my favorite costumes of the season.

Amber's "deep navy blue" FS dress by Lisa McKinnon: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQPA12yEQpW/

2026 U.S. Nationals women's podium (top 3):

Lisa McKinnon on Instagram: "Sublime….I’m so incredibly happy for all of you, 🥇 @amberglenniceskater 🥈 @alysaxliu 🥉 @isabeau.levito You overcame all the pressure, went out there, killed it and it was such a pleasure being there in person for this US

1,848 likes, 16 comments - lisamckinnon90210 on January 11, 2026: "Sublime….I’m so incredibly happy for all of you, 🥇 @amberglenniceskater 🥈 @alysaxliu 🥉 @isabeau.levito You overcame all the pressure, went out there, killed it and it was such a pleasure being there in person for this US...

www.instagram.com

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Amber's "deep navy blue" FS dress by Lisa McKinnon: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQPA12yEQpW/

It’s so nice I even think I could rock that out.

 

[Sylvia]

The Fashion Daddies podcast (Nick Verreos & David Paul) - U.S. Nationals in St. Louis episode (47 mins.):

The Vibe! US Figure Skating Championships 2026-Costumes and More! | Podcast Episode on RSS.com

The 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships took place in St. Louis, Missouri, and we, the Fashion Daddies, were thrilled to be there to witness every live skate, practice session, medal ceremony, and the "Making The Olympic Team" Gala. Of course, we were also there for the costumes! We spent...

rss.com

The 2026 U.S. Figure Skating Championships took place in St. Louis, Missouri, and we, the Fashion Daddies, were thrilled to be there to witness every live skate, practice session, medal ceremony, and the "Making The Olympic Team" Gala. Of course, we were also there for the costumes! We spent five full days checking out the incredible new costumes and even had the opportunity to finally meet the Figure Skating Costume Queen, Lisa McKinnon, who has designed for stars like Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, and Isabeau Levito. Get into the "Ice Style" vibe as we discuss it all—and yes, including chicken tenders, too!

Clips on Insta:

Re. Alysa's Lady Gaga FS dress (presumably also by Lisa McKinnon): https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTluf_EEjK3/

Bradie's FS dress was "Based off of the monstrance (new word for me) from The Mission": https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTs5b9QiToy/

They loved Josephine Lee's FS dress by Lisa McKinnon: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DToET_0gfiz/

(Andrew Torgashev's FS costume also got a shout out.)

Kam/O'Shea's SP costumes were inspired by "Kintsugi: mending broken pottery with gold" by Mathieu Caron (who posted in the Comments): https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTqNhLojE-8/
Danny's reply in the Comments: "Something broken can come back stronger and more beautiful, not in spite of the breaks, but because of them "

Bratti/Somerville's "Vogue" RD costumes: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTrHnGxFIXB/

Emilea Zingas wore Amber's dress for her exhibition skate: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTnv8RYgu5G/
Emilea's reply in the Comments section: "@amberglenniceskater is the best!!! We decided to switch what exhibition program we were doing the morning of because we didn’t have a practice before the show and Amber was so kind to lend me her dress A beautiful dress of an even more beautiful person "

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Emilea Zingas wore Amber's dress for her exhibition skate: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTnv8RYgu5G/
Emilea's reply in the Comments section: "@amberglenniceskater is the best!!! We decided to switch what exhibition program we were doing the morning of because we didn’t have a practice before the show and

That was my favorite of the two dresses, the one that only had minimal bling in the back, the waythose stripes of navy blue go is divine.

I remember, was it cup of China their luggage never arrived or something happened, so Amber gave Emilea her costume, and then I guess used it again at nationals?

On a sidenote, have I been saying her first name wrong all these years? Because commentators and then they are saying her name like Emily-a. That is correct?

 

[Sylvia]

Lisa McKinnon shared her custom dress for Alysa's Lady Gaga FS today:

Lisa McKinnon on Instagram: "🤍🩶Custom Lisa McKinnon for @alysaxliu 🩶🤍 🎼 @ladygaga @nbcolympics *We did edit the one shoulder a little after this video, to make it less bulky for her when she jumps. There was just no time to take a new vid 🥰😂 #lis

1,367 likes, 43 comments - lisamckinnon90210 on January 26, 2026: "🤍🩶Custom Lisa McKinnon for @alysaxliu 🩶🤍 🎼 @ladygaga @nbcolympics *We did edit the one shoulder a little after this video, to make it less bulky for her when she jumps. There was just no time to take a new vid 🥰😂...

www.instagram.com

The Fashion Daddies' latest podcast episode (Jan. 23): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiWoBC1a2rI

 

[Sylvia]

I just found out that Jan Longmire passed away on November 4, 2025:

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It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Jan Longmire. For over six decades, Jan has been a leader in costume design from theater to dance to ice skating and beyond. Most recently, her name and one-of-a-kind creations have been a part of the figure skating community both on the local and world stage. Jan’s custom designs and handmade pieces have showcased local competitors, national champions, world champions, and Olympic medalists for over forty years. Her passing leaves a void that cannot be filled. She treasured her craft and time spent with all who worked with her. Jan might not be with us any longer, but the sparkle of her crystals will continue to shine through all of us!

Annika Chao paid tribute to her today: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUD48ZRFFJ6/

I want to say thank you to Jan for creating 2 beautiful dresses for me. She was such a huge fan of figure skating, she supported the skating community, and was so sweet. I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to work with her on these dresses. In loving memory of Jan Longmire.

Longmire was interviewed in January 2018 with other costume designers: https://www.ksn.com/news/behind-the-seams-with-figure-skating-dress-designers/

Jan Longmire fell into designing in the ‘80s while she was pursuing her own adult skating aspirations in Southern California. She was already designing display pieces and costumes for theater and Renaissance fairs when she was approached about designing for figure skaters. Rhythmic gymnastics soon followed. [... What’s your figure skating design philosophy?]
The skater matters. The skater’s input matters. [And, as Longmire famously said of Ashley Wagner’s “Delilah” dress in 2014: “I’m not building her a dress, I’m building her a suit of armor.”]

ETA:

"You Run Like A Girl" podcast with Jan Longmire - Figure Skating Costume Designer (August 31, 2021):

Jan Longmire - Figure Skating Costume Designer - You Run Like A Girl

The Olympics always has its fair share of controversial topics and while these do shift over time, it's a pretty safe bet that every four years, people who watch figure skating will be divided over one thing: the costumes. In today's episode, I sp...

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The Olympics always has its fair share of controversial topics and while these do shift over time, it's a pretty safe bet that every four years, people who watch figure skating will be divided over one thing: the costumes. In today's episode, I speak with Jan Longmire, a figure skating costume designer to the stars. Jan went from designing costumes for her kids skating shows and competitions to being an in-demand designer for World and Olympic champions. We chatted about how she got her start, that infamous Vera Wang dress Nancy Kerrigan wore and why most elite costume designers are self-taught. This episode is also part-memoir, as I reflect on a few of my own skating dresses growing up.

 

[Sylvia]

I've since moved my post: https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...ed-a-cheer-thread.104452/page-51#post-6879774

 

[Sylvia]

15-minute video by NHK World Japan: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/2105248/
"ITO Satomi has designed costumes for many top-tier figure skaters from Japan and overseas. She shares her passion and inspiration for her craft.
Broadcast on December 2, 2025 / Available until December 2, 2026"
Ito's Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/stm_ito/

I forgot to mention that Phebe Bekker's R&J FD dress can be seen in its early stages in the video above.

Inside the mind of Ito Satomi, the costume designer of Yuzuru Hanyu and Ilia Malinin
The Tokyo-based designer spoke to Olympics.com about creating haute couture for the ice runway, the balancing act between her creative vision and the skaters’ requests, and her most famous clients.
Olympics.com article by Lena Smirnova & and Yoshiko Ryokai (Jan. 31): https://www.olympics.com/en/news/in...ume-designer-of-yuzuru-hanyu-and-ilia-malinin
Video: https://www.olympics.com/en/video/i...rld-acclaimed-figure-skating-costume-designer