A Quebec costume designer is entering into the worldwide highlight on the 2026 Winter Olympics, dressing a number of the world’s high determine skaters as they compete on the game’s greatest stage.
Mathieu Caron, a former ballroom dancer from Quebec, has been creating elaborate costumes for greater than a decade. He says his fascination with glittering materials and dramatic designs started early.
“I used to be very fascinated by the costumes, all of the bling-bling and the materials. So I made a decision to go to trend college,” Caron instructed World Information in an interview.
After finding out trend at LaSalle School in Montreal, Caron launched his firm designing clothes for ballroom dancers. His work quickly expanded into the determine skating and ice dancing world.
By 2018, his creations had reached the Olympic podium. Caron designed the costumes worn by Canadian ice dancers Tessa Advantage and Scott Moir throughout their gold medal-winning efficiency set to Moulin Rouge.
Tessa Advantage and Scott Moir, of Canada, compete within the ice dance determine skating free dance on the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, in Gangneung, South Korea, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson
Now in Milan for the 2026 Winter Video games, Caron instructed World 28 athletes from 10 nations are sporting his designs. Amongst them are American ice dancers Madison Chock — who really designs her personal costumes, continuously turning to Caron to assist understand her imaginative and prescient — and Evan Bates, in addition to Japanese skater Ami Nakai.
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He stated every costume can take as much as 150 hours to finish, from the primary sketch to the ultimate rhinestone. The method includes shut collaboration with athletes, coaches and choreographers to make sure the design enhances the music and enhances motion on the ice.
“We now have conferences with athletes, but additionally with the coaches and choreographers. We speak in regards to the music and the imaginative and prescient of this system,” he stated.
Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the USA wave to the group earlier than the determine skating ice dance crew occasion on the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026.
(AP Photograph/Natacha Pisarenko)
Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the USA compete in the course of the ice dancing free skate in determine skating on the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026.
(AP Photograph/Natacha Pisarenko)
His studio crew consists of different designers, cutters, seamstresses, sample makers, and painters all working to carry the clothes to life.
The value displays the labour concerned. Based on the designer, costumes usually vary from $3,500 to $8,000, relying on the hours required and the complexity of the design.
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Whereas determine skating stays a central focus, he stated he hopes to develop into different artistic fields, together with Broadway musicals and designing full seems to be for touring artists.
For now, the Québécois designer says he feels lucky to see his creations glide throughout Olympic ice, and in some circumstances, onto the rostrum.
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