L.A. Designer Lisa McKinnon Creates U.S. Figure Skating Dresses

McKinnon's custom-made designs are worn by top American skaters at the Olympics

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Lisa McKinnon, a Los Angeles-based designer, has become the go-to name for figure skating couture, creating competition dresses worn by the U.S. and South Korean women's Olympic teams. McKinnon, a former competitive figure skater herself, sources fabric locally and hand-crafts the dresses, which can cost between $3,000 and $8,000. Her designs have been featured on the medal podium, with American skaters Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn, and Isabeau Levito all wearing McKinnon's creations at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.

Why it matters

McKinnon's success highlights the importance of custom-tailored athletic apparel, especially in a sport like figure skating where the clothing needs to allow for maximum mobility and performance. Her background as a former skater gives her a unique understanding of the technical requirements and aesthetic considerations that go into designing competition-level dresses. McKinnon's rise also showcases the vibrant fashion community in Los Angeles and the city's role in outfitting elite athletes on the global stage.

The details

McKinnon sources most of her fabric from the fashion district in downtown L.A. and works closely with skaters to ensure a perfect fit, incorporating four-way stretch fabrics that allow for jumps, spins, and other on-ice movements. She hand-delivers dresses to some skaters, like reigning world champion Alysa Liu, to make last-minute adjustments. Each dress is also meticulously decorated with thousands of crystals, beads, and other embellishments that are hand-applied by McKinnon's team.

  • McKinnon designed dresses for the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.
  • At the 2026 U.S. National Championships in St. Louis in January, eight of the 18 senior women competed in McKinnon's dresses.
  • The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan are taking place in February.

The players

Lisa McKinnon

A Los Angeles-based designer who has become the go-to name for figure skating couture, creating custom competition dresses for the U.S. and South Korean women's Olympic teams.

Alysa Liu

The reigning world champion figure skater who is competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan wearing a McKinnon-designed dress.

Amber Glenn

An American figure skater competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan wearing a McKinnon-designed dress.

Isabeau Levito

An American figure skater competing at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan wearing a McKinnon-designed dress.

Christina Carreira

An American ice dancer who worked with McKinnon to design a custom dress for her Olympic debut at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan.

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What they’re saying

“They had seen the dresses that I made for other skaters. They were just — you know — putting their faith in my hands that I could do this.”

— Lisa McKinnon (latimes.com)

“It fit perfectly. Lisa has never met me. She's only seen me over FaceTime, and the two dresses she's made fit perfectly.”

— Christina Carreira, American ice dancer (latimes.com)

“I wanted a dress that made me feel special at the Olympics. And both of those dresses did that.”

— Christina Carreira, American ice dancer (latimes.com)

What’s next

McKinnon and her team will continue to watch their dresses take the ice in Milan as the figure skating competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics unfolds.

The takeaway

Lisa McKinnon's success in designing custom figure skating dresses for elite athletes highlights the importance of specialized, high-performance apparel in sports. Her background as a former competitive skater gives her a unique understanding of the technical and aesthetic needs of figure skating, allowing her to create designs that enable maximum mobility and expression on the ice.