When Fashion Meets Figure Skating: Deanna Stellato-Dudek’s Oscar de la Renta Olympic Dresses
When Deanna Stellato-Dudek takes the ice at Milano Cortina 2026, she’ll be skating in high fashion. The 2024 world pairs champion will debut two custom-designed competition dresses created by legendary fashion house Oscar de la Renta on the world stage. For an athlete who’s already rewritten the rules of figure skating (world champion at 40!), these dresses are the perfect finishing touch to her extraordinary Olympic story.
A Fashion Dream Come True
The collaboration was made possible by Amanda Desmarais, a Skate Canada board member and longtime Oscar de la Renta client. Recognizing Stellato-Dudek’s elegance and star power, Desmarais reached out to the fashion house to propose a partnership for Milano Cortina. After a year of Stellato-Dudek reaching out to designers with no success, she finally got the call she’d been waiting for. “She called and said, ‘I can’t believe I’m saying this but Oscar de la Renta has agreed. [The fashion house will] make both your costumes for the Olympics,'” Stellato-Dudek shared in a recent interview with the Toronto Star.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek wearing her Oscar de la Renta short program dress for the first time at the 2026 Nationals in Gatineau, Que.
As of 2024, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) allows athletes to partner with haute couture designers for Olympic costumes in exchange for logo presence, a shift from previous strict, non-commercial branding rules. This enables high-fashion collaborations like Oscar de la Renta for figure skating, alongside traditional luxury partnerships like Armani for Italy’s team. For Oscar de la Renta’s team, the chance to dress a world champion competing on fashion’s biggest stage (Milano, one of the world’s fashion capitals) was irresistible.
“I did try to get a Canadian designer but the most famous Canadian designer is Canada Goose and I can’t skate pairs in a winter coat,” Stellato-Dudek joked in her Toronto Star interview.
Eight months after the agreement, the dresses arrived just in time for their debut at the Canadian National Championships in early January.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek & Maxime Deschamps perform their short program at the 2026 Nationals in Gatineau, Que.
The Short Program: Golden Glamour
Stellato-Dudek’s short program dress is a masterclass in understated elegance. The hand-beaded gold sheath catches the light with every movement, creating a shimmering effect that’s mesmerizing from the stands and on camera. The intricate beadwork was done entirely by hand—a testament to Oscar de la Renta’s commitment to craftsmanship and attention to detail.
The dress perfectly complements the duo’s powerful short program set to Carmina Burana, with the golden hue reflecting the dramatic, epic quality of the music. Every element was designed with performance in mind. The dress moves with Stellato-Dudek, never distracting from her technical elements or artistry. The cut allows for effortless spins, throws and lifts (essential for pairs skating’s demanding choreography).
Deanna Stellato-Dudek & Maxime Deschamps perform their short program at the 2026 Nationals in Gatineau, Que.
“I’m going to have to ask them to make a longer skirt so I can wear this again,” Stellato-Dudek said after performing the short program at nationals, according to the Toronto Star. “I can’t only wear this for 10 minutes three times.”
The Free Skate: Cherry Sophistication
For the free skate, Oscar de la Renta created a stunning cherry one-shoulder dress that perfectly complements the flamingo-themed program Stellato-Dudek and partner Maxime Deschamps have choreographed. The shimmering fabric captures movement beautifully, adding an extra layer of drama to their performance.
The bold colour choice and asymmetrical design reflect Stellato-Dudek’s fearless approach to skating. It’s the perfect match for a skater known for pushing boundaries and taking risks on the ice.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek wearing her Oscar de la Renta free program dress for the first time at the 2026 Nationals in Gatineau, Que.
More Than Just Fashion
For Stellato-Dudek, wearing Oscar de la Renta at the Olympics represents something deeper than just beautiful costumes. “I never imagined I’d be wearing Oscar de la Renta at the Olympics,” she told Elle Canada. “It’s a dream come true—not just to compete at this level at my age, but to do it in dresses that make me feel confident and beautiful. When you look good, you feel good, and that translates to your performance.”
Stellato-Dudek has already made history as the oldest woman to win a world title in any figure skating discipline. At 42, she’s competing in her first Olympic Games after a remarkable comeback story. She retired from skating in 2000 due to injuries, worked as an aesthetician for 16 years, then returned to the ice and started her partnership in 2019 with Deschamps.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek & Maxime Deschamps perform their free program at the 2026 Nationals in Gatineau, Que.
The collaboration with Oscar de la Renta adds another chapter to her inspiring journey. It’s proof that audacity, the same quality that led her to believe she could make an Olympic team at 42, can open doors you never imagined.
A Moment for Fashion and Sport
Figure skating’s always been intertwined with fashion. Vera Wang designed Nancy Kerrigan’s dresses for the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. Christian Lacroix created costumes for Surya Bonaly at the 1992 Albertville Games. Roberto Cavalli dressed Carolina Kostner for Turin 2006.
But Oscar de la Renta’s entry into figure skating represents something new: a luxury fashion house that traditionally eschews logo presence and sports partnerships making an exception for the artistry of the sport and the compelling story of one athlete.
Deanna Stellato-Dudek & Maxime Deschamps perform their short program at the 2026 Nationals in Gatineau, Que.
The designer, who died in 2014, built a fashion empire known for romantic elegance and impeccable craftsmanship. He made history in 1993 as the first American to head a French couture house and dressed everyone from U.S. first ladies to Hollywood stars throughout his five-decade career.
The timing’s perfect, too. With Milano Cortina 2026 taking place in one of fashion’s most important cities, the intersection of haute couture and Olympic sport feels natural. Luxury brands are embracing the Olympics like never before, from LVMH’s historic sponsorship of Paris 2024 to Prada’s involvement in Milano Cortina 2026.
Looking Ahead to Milano Cortina
As Stellato-Dudek prepares to compete in Milano Cortina, her Oscar de la Renta dresses symbolize more than fashion. They represent the artistry, elegance and fearlessness that define her career.
From world champion at 40 to Olympic contender in haute couture, Stellato-Dudek continues to rewrite the rulebook. In dresses that honour both the sport’s artistic traditions and fashion’s cutting-edge creativity, Stellato-Dudek is ready to make her Olympic debut unforgettable.