SOCHI, Russia, Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Figure skaters will likely be wearing more old-fashioned costumes next season inspired by last year's movies like "American Hustle," a costume designer said.
Figure skating costume designer Jan Longmire said costumes are often influenced by the previous year's blockbuster hits, RIA Novosti reported Saturday.
"Movies play a big role. After 'Slumdog Millionaire' came out [in 2008], we got so many skaters asking for an Indian-style outfit," she said.
Russian figure skater Yulia Lipnitskaya, for instance, wore a red costume inspired by the red coat worn by a little girl in the movie "Schindler's List." She also skated to music from the movie.
Longmire said the work that goes into creating the outfits is time-consuming, meticulous and costly.
"It's very labor-intensive," she said. "They have to be constructed carefully for close-up photography. All of your efforts go into making this piece of elastic fabric look like anything but what it is – which is basically just a bathing suit."
