U.S. Figure Skating Brings Golden Hour To View Boston: Styling 2027

U.S. Figure Skating kicked off the next Olympic quadrennial by looking back at decades of iconic fashion looks at View Boston on August 26th. Costumes spanned some of the country's biggest moments in the sport, including Alysa Liu's gold-winning piece at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and the outfits worn by the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating, Tenley E. Albright. The U.S. Figure Skating x Styling 2027 event kicked off with a pink carpet, where athletes stopped for photos and interviews. Fashion ranged from black-tie dresses by designers like Tom Ford, worn by ice dancing star Emilea Zingas, to chic casual looks. Nike ambassador Liu opted for black athleisure wear by the brand. The trend and Gen-Z staple of the night was Coach purses, worn by guests and Olympian Isabeau Levito.

Guests were escorted up to the 52nd floor where festivities spanned three levels. View Boston's summer installation consisted of giant floral scenes and iridescent decor, the perfect backdrop for an exhibit full of elegant fashion pieces. Athletes roamed the floor, including Johnny Weir, who posed for photos next to a range of his iconic looks. Weir credits these jumpsuits with enabling him to express himself and his identity on the ice fully. Toward the entrance, sparkling dresses worn by Tara Lipinski sat on mannequins, and fashion houses like Vera Wang displayed garments they constructed for the sport over the years.

Designers also roamed the floor, including Lisa McKinnon of Lisa McKinnon Designs, who created the looks we all know and love from this year's Winter Olympics. She revealed how she pulls inspiration from the skater's personality and music choice to create a design that captures the essence of the athlete and her unique perspective. Her pieces spoke for themselves on the ice, with gorgeous reflective jewels, draped mesh, and thick fringed fabric made for twirling under bright lights. Liu and Levito joined McKinnon to pose for photos by the costumes they made history in.

It was surreal to sit in the weight of these moments and absorb the full context of each piece. For example, knowing that 4,000 miles away, skaters like Liu dressed for the achievement she wanted, dripping in gold as she brought home the gold medal for the United States. Millions witnessed the dresses worn by the iconic friendship trio, the Blade Angels (Alysa Liu, Isabeau Levito, and Amber Glen). While the third Blade Angel, Amber Glenn, might not have been in attendance (which the world found out was because she will be competing on Dancing With The Stars Season 35!), her stunning pieces were. Lucky guests had the opportunity to get up close and personal with McKinnon's brilliant craftsmanship. Even though fans sitting in the stands during skating programs might not see each crystal or chain, these details work together to create the perfect performance piece. The thought and time that go into each look are similar to all the behind-the-scenes training that brings these athletes to the world's stage.

Skaters in attendance also put in the work to bring history to life, like ice dancer Caroline Green, who paid homage to a chartreuse dress worn by Peggy Fleming, an iconic American figure skater who won the only gold medal for the United States at the 1968 Winter Olympics. Green revealed she stopped at Michael's to grab the rhinestones to complete her look.

Fans of all ages enjoyed the show, uniting Boston in a celebration of athleticism and fashion's role in shaping narrative. Passionate students at Boston Arts Academy had the chance to have guests vote for their designs in a contest. Designers included Cecilia Dominguez Grey, a Boston Arts Academy alum studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology, who created a vibrant pink-and-yellow design for Levito. This event enabled Dominguez Grey to chat with Leviito herself about the design. Other muses included ice dancers Oona and Gage Brown, whose garments were influenced by classic black-and-white patterns, and the fashion in Netflix's hit series The Queen's Gambit. Another special guest included Boston-native and MBTA enthusiast Pari Kim, who starred on the viral Netflix dating series Love on the Spectrum, making history as part of the show's first LGBTQ+ couple. She stopped to chat with Liu about Boston's public transit system and brought out her singing Zoey doll from Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters. An infectious joy filled the room as guests made their way downstairs to enjoy time on the rooftop deck, view more costumes, check out exclusive merch, and even stop to get a portrait painted live by artist Sheila Foley.

The event reminded everyone of the importance of bringing community together. It celebrated an incredible sport that is about to return in full swing to the general public as winter moves in. Through fashion, performers shape how they are perceived, understood, and remembered. The next evening, the skaters and Following Boston stopped by The Skating Club of Boston for the Summer Sizzler showcase.