Alysa Liu Says Her Athletic Background Inspired Her Met Gala Debut Look

Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu shared how she was inspired by her athletic form for his debut look at the Met Gala.

Liu attended her first Met Gala on Monday, May 4 where the theme for the night was "Costume Art" and the dress code "Fashion Is Art."

"I love the theme, especially as an athlete, because for me it's all about the relationship with clothing and our bodies as an artistic medium," Liu told Vogue. "I'm a figure skater - we are the winter artistic sport."

The figure skater was styled by Katie Qian and was wearing a red strapless Louis Vuitton gown. Qian told Vogue that she felt the theme was "perfect" for Liu as "she is an elite athlete who uses her body every day in training and performance, and she is also a true artist when developing her programs."

Qian said Liu's gown was inspired by her athletic form in numerous ways. "We wanted Louis Vuitton to help us elegantly reference vascularity, cell structure and muscle tissue, which are reflected in the red hue as well as the detailed ruffles," Qian said.

She added, "It also happens to emulate the ways in which ice is carved when figure skating. The dress perfectly frames the feet and accentuates the curves, and we are thrilled with how it turned out."

Liu was named a house ambassador for Louis Vuitton ahead of her Met Gala debut. "It's honestly surreal to be a house ambassador for Louis Vuitton," Liu told Elle. "It's truly an honor and a privilege, especially for a figure skater, to be recognized in this way, and I take so much pride in that."

Liu earned a gold medal at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics in the women's skating final. Liu's gold medal finished ended a 24-year drought for U.S. Women's Figure Skating.

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This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 6:46 PM.