- dress design

L.A. SkateDad recently had the opportunity to interview Ximena Davalos who designs skating dresses for the likes of Courtney Hicks.

LASD> Hello Ximena, welcome. First off, do you prefer we call them dresses or costumes?

XD> Costumes!

LASD> Are you a skate fan yourself, or did you used to skate?

XD> Yes, and yes! Very briefly I had two years of skating. I use to love to draw all the costumes I dreamed of having but never did. Seriously, not even a practice dress or skirt.

LASD> What led you into this line of work?

XD> Sketching costumes led me to want to study fashion (I had also been very involved in performing arts in high school) and when I realized college had a costuming program well that was that! I studied Costume Design for Film and Television, but after a few years I didn’t find it was the right fit. I started to transition away from that by working on a Latin version of Dancing With the Stars.

I would mostly work on making and fitting the costumes and realized I was more of a maker and designer. From there I was fortunate to get an opportunity with the ballroom dress company Designs by Kalina, and we started to get skating costumes. Because I knew skating, my boss started to put me in charge of them. I fell in love with skating costume design and with my boss’s blessing I set out to do it on my own.

LASD> How long have you been in the business, how long has it taken you to rise to that level?

XD> Not very long at all actually! I started meddling in figure skating costumes about two years ago, fell in love and decided to go for it.

LASD> You also create ballroom dance gowns: what's the difference between them, what do you like or dislike about each, what carries over, is it a compatible thing.

XD> Oh ballroom (sighs). Well I do work on ballroom dresses, but I mostly get hired to do the decoration of them. The major difference, I think, is the lack of story telling… therefore I see ballroom as extravagantly fun “dresses” and not costumes. Although they do have to allow the dancer freedom of movement.

Ballroom dresses are A LOT more complicated to make and the fit is different. They also don’t have the aerodynamic restrictions of a skating costume. The most relatable things are that it’s a leotard with a skirt, and the crystal work.

LASD> Do you limit yourself to certain geographical areas?

XD> At the moment I do US only.

LASD> Give me an idea of price ranges. Is it a full time job?

XD> Yes! It is a full time job, though I am considered fast, the setting of the crystals still takes hours and hours, especially if it’s a very specific design. My range is from $800 to $5000

LASD> How long does it take to design and finish a dress, from start to finish?

XD> Oh boy! Umm… well it depends on the amount of design work. Because I only do custom it can range anywhere from 25 hours to 60 hours.

LASD> Do you also create men's costumes, or do you shy away from them?

XD> I haven’t had the honor yet, but I wouldn’t shy away!

LASD> How do skaters find you?

XD> (Laughs) Right now through social media and word of mouth. I tried putting fliers up… some rinks let me, some didn’t, I’m sure some got taken down. That didn’t work at all.

My main driver seems to be sponsorship (I currently sponsor Courtney Hicks). It’s something that I actually got from ballroom -- in ballroom you sponsor a top dancer and they in turn bring you clients. Skating doesn’t seem to have that, so I am trying it out. My hope is to eventually be able to sponsor someone in each discipline. Dancing or skating advertisements!

LASD> With my daughter we just asked around the rink for designers, but at your level it doesn't work that way does it?

XD> Oh sure it does! Word of mouth is my best friend!

LASD> When is it time for a skater to kick it up a notch -- when does she move from the rink's local dress lady to somebody with a national reputation?

XD> I think it honestly depends on how much the skater's family is able to invest in a costume. Some months back I actually had a skater tell me that if they got their triple-triple her parents would buy her a dress I already had up for sale… so maybe when they get their triple-triples! (just joking).

LASD> How much do you negotiate price with the parents, especially if they can't afford what you're asking? Is there price flexibility?

XD> Somewhat for sure, every price bracket I offer can be customized. Also I do offer just decorating services if they want to send me a dress to only put crystals on. They can even send me the crystals they want -- that way they can still get something customized without the major price tag.

LASD> How much of a lead time should a skater plan before ordering a dress, to avoid a crunch?

XD> Right now it’s 6 to 8 weeks from order to finishing. Though delivery can be affected if I send a costume out for fitting and they don’t get it back to me in a timely manner, or if there is a delay in payment.

LASD> How many sketches and meet-ups do you conduct, and do you get the coach, parent or choreographer involved. Do you listen to the program or watch the skater before you design?

XD> It all depends. If I have east coast clients it’s all done through email and mail (for the fittings). If they are within driving distance then I’ll go and do the fitting. It does vary whether the rest of the team is involved. Sometime they are and sometimes they are not. I do ask for the music, and ask questions of what story they are trying to portray. I usually start with 3 to 4 sketches and that has proven to be enough.

LASD> Where do you get your inspiration: where do your ideas come from?

XD> I mostly get inspired from the music, and also images of the color and texture the skater provides. I also get inspired by the present trends in fashion, but mostly it's from the mood of the skating music.

LASD> How do you settle in on a specific design? Do you prefer to design a dress to match a specific program? Is it a choice for the parents or the skater?

XD> Sometimes the skater wants a more specific look for a program, but I still like to have fun playing around. I usually give a variety of sketches, sometimes with a blend between them. I do make sure to ask what they *don't* like. Most of the time the parents let the skater make the design choice herself.

LASD> Do you get ideas from other skaters you watch?

XD> (Laughs) Well sometimes, it’s good to keep an eye out there as maybe there'll be a fashion trend happening among the elite skaters.

LASD> Yeah I remember a couple years ago everyone wanted to look like Ashley Wagner. Do you model the dress in motion, while it is moving?

XD> I don't really have a way to model it as it might be seen on a moving skater, so I try to light and film it with a camera from different angles and at different times. Viewing it through a camera really gives me the best idea of how the audience will see it.

LASD> How do you feel about… ah… "flappy bits," you know pieces of fabric that trail off from the main costume?

XD> Well I can see why people think flappy bits can be distracting, but I like them generally, as long as they aren't distracting and complement the program. For example Karen Chen has a nice one now with her Golden Pond costume.

LASD> Do folks bring in photos (say of Lady Gaga dresses) and ask you to make something similar?

XD> Haven’t had any yet, but I’m currently working with a dance troupe that wanted very Ga-Ga-esque costumes. Some costumes can be pretty wild, but skating is a bit more restrictive in that costumes have to be aerodynamic. It's fun to think about how to make it work, and that’s why we do a fitting, to see what would work or not work.

LASD> Do you design more for the skater, or more for the audience?

XD> Really, I want my costume to make the skater feel confident, but it's also good for the audience to be captivated. Mainly though my priority is for the skater. I want to enhance what the skater is expressing: it's not about the costume, it's about helping the skater tell their story.

LASD> Do you have to follow certain standards or regulations?

XD> Yes, there are rules that are set and have to be followed (understandably). It does seem that some rules are evolving though and rules sometimes change, especially in dance to tailor better to the genre.

LASD> Sequins or rhinestones?

XD> Sequins or hand beading are really okay, many of the Japanese designers do this. It all depends on the effect you are trying to achieve and whatever are the current fashions. For me rhinestones mostly and some hand beading. Though I’m not opposed to sequins, some designers use everything, especially abroad.

LASD> Glue gun, or do the pros have a better way for attaching rhinestones? Is it something to keep you occupied while you're watching TV?

XD> (Laughs) Oh I don't think a glue gun would work with skating, I'd be afraid the crystals would fall off. I use E6000 glue in a syringe and a crystal katana. Sometimes, like if I'm doing a simple sprinkle of crystals I can try watching (more like listening to) something else, but most of the custom designs are planned in greater detail and take a lot of concentration to implement the design.

LASD> If a skater has a problem with her dress, how amenable are you to fixing it (and how difficult is it to fix)?

XD> Well to start, I do leave a seam allowance for the fitting, and then I just remove any excess afterwards, so that is simple enough. Fixing a mistake on the crystal work though can be tough but not impossible -- if the skater complains, then I need to come up with some creative solutions. This though is why I draw detailed illustrations, to help avoid misunderstandings during the crystal setting.

LASD> How does dressmaking for an ensemble number work; do you subcontract out the construction or what?

XD> Since I am the sole employee to myself then yes, I have a group of peers I would bring in to help. Depending on the group, one can just use general S, M, L patterns since they are usually not paying for the custom made-to-measure piece. So it can have parts that are easier to execute, but of course it would depend on the design.

LASD> How does a person learn to do skating costume design -- does FIDM teach what you need to know?

XD> No FIDM didn’t really teach me this specifically, I learned it mostly from working “in the field” on a dance show from people already skilled in this type of garment and also from a ballroom gown maker. So I guess it was a sort of an apprenticeship.

LASD> Do you spend a lot of time walking around with fabric vendors in a garment district, or do you just go to Joannes fabrics?

XD> I did walk around fabric vendors when I was in LA and they are still my "go-to" shops for fabrics, I also have a rhinestone supplier that I use.

LASD> How do American costume designers compare to other countries?

XD> Well I do feel like there’s a bit of a different aesthetic -- I do see more fashion trend influence in the designs here, whereas in countries like Japan… even Russia there is something that I find more organic… if that makes sense.

LASD> Do you have any favorites that you have made?

XD> One of the first skating costumes I made was one that the skater had designed. After I made sure all the finishings were up to par with the design, when the skater arrived for the final fitting she started crying because it was exactly what she imagined it to be. Also I love the costume I made for Courtney's short program this year: they chose what was one of the most organic designs I sketched, which was really influenced by the music and colors she wanted. I loved how it turned out in the end.

LASD> Thanks for the interview Ximena, you've been wonderful. Are there any folks you'd like to shout out and acknowledge?

XD> Yes thanks, I'd especially like to thank the whole team at Designs by Kalina for setting me out on my path. Also of course Courtney Hicks and her whole team.

LASD> Thanks again! Readers please be sure to check out Ximena's skating costume designs here.

- movement

Almost as complex as a modern paratrooper's clothes, a skating costume is one of the more technically engineered uniforms in existence. The fabric has to keep you both warm and cool yet also dry in an environment that is high humidity and windy (when you're moving). It has to be flexibly non-ripping under stressful body conformations, and it has to provide adequate support for decorative embellishment.

When you buy (or have somebody design) a costume for you, you are really looking for three things. First and foremost technical competence: fabric that flexibly breathes. Skate dress fabric usually must be four-way stretch; if you're making your own here's a site with some good representative examples.

Even though a fabric vendor recommends these I'd still check with your coaches and skatemates; some of these fabrics, although stretchy, may fail to provide effective thermal performance if used too liberally.

Second your dress has to thematically match your program's music. You don't have to aim for an outfit that exactly or literally expresses the song title: no need to wear a faux tux when you're skating to Putting on the Ritz. Yet in general terms your outfit should reflect the mood of your program's music.

And finally, not to belabor the obvious, but the fireworks from a competitive skating costume happens when it moves. It doesn't matter so much whether your costume is imposing on the hanger: what's important is its appearance through your spins, spirals, and jumps. Consider how the sparkles may reflect, how the skirt might extend or ruffle, how you may use extensions like tuxedo tails or arm flares to express specific embellishments.

It's a lot to ask from a dress. Which is why there are designers.
(repost)

- the sparkly bludgeon

When you are considering dropping a few hundred more dollars onto yet another competition skating dress, do you go through the same mental gyrations as me? Sure it's a new program this year and the old dress doesn't "fit" the new music. Yeah your little girl has grown several inches since the last purchase so the stretch fabric is a bit tighter. Yeah all of her skating friends got new dresses this year. Yeah your kid is dedicated and serious and loves the sport and wants to look like Ashley Wagner.

So is this just the price of entry? Is it just what is required every year by the sport, on top of coaching fees, competition fees, ballet teacher fees, skate sharpening? Also, do you expect something from your child in return? Do you tell your dear child that Daddy will be happy to get her that new dress if.... she passes her MIF? If she gets at least a B average the next time she gets her homeschool grades? If she practices the entirety of all of her freestyles? I rather agree with Xan here where she says...

... as parents we often want the best for our children forgetting that sometimes the best gift we can give them is for them to work hard and as a result of that hard work get the solo or the dress that is needed for that higher level or the skates that they need to compete at the higher level.

Yet I'm not necessarily sure that a parent should withhold a new dress as a bludgeon over her child's head to force behavior either. I think the money that you spend on your daughter's dress should be just slightly more than skill-appropriate: you want her to feel exceptionally good about her appearance on the ice, but you don't want to foment jealousy amongst her fellow competitors (nor do you want to escalate a dress buying war amongst the parents). And you want to encourage her to work hard without demoralizing her with an embarrassingly understated costume.

It's a fine balance. Plus maybe there's a bit of unstated inference that culturally you expect a certain sort of womanly behavior as she matures -- you want to set some guidelines that she might adhere to as she grows into eventually buying her own wardrobe for herself.

Not to put any pressure on you parents....

- boots

This may seem peculiar for a participant to realize, but after watching skating for six or seven years the habits of my gaze settle directly onto your feet. I still admire your competition dress for the first 30 seconds or so, and during your program my eyes float around to graceful arm movements, a smile, a flash of rhinestones, or a spray of imagination.

But for 70% of your program (when watching in person) I am mostly interested in the interface between your blades and the ice. That is really where you express all of your suave athleticism. Hence, directly at the periphery of my focus: your boots.

For a competition I suppose you really have only two options with respect to your boots: either wear the tights down over them or keep them polished white.

Those other little boot tricks: gold blades? Boot glitter? No thanks -- frankly it's too distracting.

Yeah I know you spend a lot of effort on you hair, your dress, and your makeup. But while you're on ice the old time audience members mostly focus on your skates. It's really bad form to show off the scuffs. Polish or tights over, please.

(repost)

- sequins

Glittery sparkle compliments and enhances your competitive skate (even more so if you're skating in a Showcase with spotlights). As in most performance art however, only a narrow range of use achieves the desired effect without appearing overdone. You should strive for an objective of "highlighting" -- rather than always being apparent, your sparkles should accentuate about a third of your moves.

I've seen three sorts of reflective devices: two types are sequins; the last is rhinestones. Rhinestones are small hard cut-glass crystal reflectors, faceted like a diamond with a metal backing. These glue onto your costume and if your dress doesn't already have enough you can purchase them at many craft and bead stores (or online even, see here and here).

The other two types of sparklies are small flat round pieces of plastic sequins with a tiny hole in the middle (to facilitate sewing onto the costume). One type is metallic and the other is semi-transparent plastic. You can buy these at most fabric stores (and some craft stores too).

Unless they're sparingly used and interspersed with the other two types, the reflective metallic sequins look cheap. I am sorry, they just remind me of store-bought Halloween costumes. The semi-transparent tonal plastic sequins are fine to use on a skating dress though.

Although rhinestones and tonal plastic sequins are both fashionable, they provide quite different visual effects. Crystal glass sparkles intensely as pinpoints of light at multiple angles. Xan tells me that a high-end dress for an elite skater can have 1500 rhinestones, which seems a bit excessive to me but okay, if you're going to be on TV then I say go for it (smile).

Otherwise a third of this quantity in strategic visual swaths is sufficient. Again artistic placement is paramount: if you evenly cover your dress with random crystals you won't get the same effect as if you lay them out visualizing how the eye catches your dress as it spins and angles.

Relative to rhinestones the plastic sequins are very inexpensive, and are usually sewn on by the thousands across large areas. The tonal flat sequins give one uniform sublimely gentle flash when hit at their reflective angle, but are otherwise nice as a gradual contrast shifter. As they have a different reflectivity from fabric they tend to make the covered swatch appear to vary in hue at different angles.

Although I have seen a couple nice dresses that made judicious use of both (in moderation) please avoid combining glass rhinestones and plastic sequins unless you're already an accomplished dress designer.

It's not particularly appropriate to use glass rhinestones on a man's costume (okay, maybe just a handful). Plastic tonal sequins are okay in understated moderation. Just my opinion again.

Skaters will try other modes of flashiness: glitter blush or eyeliner, sparkly hair pieces and hair gel. These may be fine if you're hoping for a camera close-up, but when you're on the ice we don't notice these from out here in the audience dear.

Finally although a sparkly dress is a nice highlight to your program, it shouldn't be the main draw. After all we really came here to watch how you skate.

- gloves

Hair pieces, boot polish, tights, skate dress -- a lot goes into a skating costume. When you get fully comfortable, skilled, and graceful, you can don that last flashy accessory: elbow-length gloves.

Opera gloves are a bit of an aesthetically dangerous garment to add to your oeuvre: without doubt they pull attention toward the completion of graceful arm and hand movements. If you don these before your elements are fully competent though, the rest of your program will appear considerably diminished by comparison.

Gloves may only be appropriate at a narrow band of expressiveness. It's like when a guy wears a muscle shirt with arm cutouts: it's unflattering if he has nothing to show. On the other hand if he's already built like Arnold Schwarzenegger then the arm cutouts aren't particularity necessary either.

Wear long gloves when your hands and arms need a bit of assistance expressing what they can already show reasonably well. Only however after you've already figured out how to shine on all of your other elements.

- dressy

Does your performance dress do anything to help you skate? To say that competing extends to your costume is intuitively correct, but it happens somewhat indirectly from the way that you might think.

Costumes by and of themselves are not a contest. They might be judged as contributive to score in something like ice theater, where extravagant showmanship carries some weight (I am just speculating here; I've never actually seen how they score ice theater).

In competitive figure though your costume may make little direct difference, yet it probably makes a substantial emotional and psychic impact.

Your dress behaves similar to the way a policeman's uniform signifies authority, or a Caltrans-orange jumpsuit says Pay Attention, I'm out here working. Your competitive skate dress says I'm an Artistic Skilled Athlete that knows her stuff: Watch this.

But aside from what it signifies to the outside world your dress is also both a motivator and a reward for your self.

On the one hand you ask your parents to spend the money on something nice because you've worked hard for it and you've earned it. The flip side of this is that since they're paid for it already, you have an obligation to live up to the expectations set by what you're wearing.

Like wearing a nice suit for a job interview, the sequined dress sets up an internal mindset. A nice dress that is appropriate to your program opens up a portal to another dimension. Costume sets mood. Your competitive dress has to be different enough from your practice tights so that when you put it on, you get the feeling of This Means Business, or Showtime!