dress

As a child in Newark, N.J., Narciso Rodriguez was often transported back to Cuba by the stories from his family and their friends. He walked the halls of El Encanto, a Havana department store and fashion mecca on the island — one that drew in celebrity clientele and featured haute-couture designs and fragrances from the far-flung fashion capitals of Paris and Milan.

“I don’t know that they could have afforded any of those things when they were in Cuba,” he tells De Los. “But they certainly filled my imagination with beautiful stories and laid the foundation for my work.”

It was the women in his life — the “amazing, powerful, loud, colorful dynamos,” as he describes them — who inspired him to pursue a career in fashion.

“Their stories, their lives, their power, their curves, it all influenced me,” he says. “They’re the reason I wanted to create things.”

Over the last three decades, the renowned designer has earned a reputation for sleek, flattering lines and effortless shapes, most famously seen on the career-launching dress he designed for his friend Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy to wear on her wedding day. The bias-cut silk slip has remained a source of inspiration for generations of brides since, and has been making waves again thanks to the FX series “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette.”

Omari K. Chancellor as Gordon Henderson, from left, Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette, Tonatiuh as Narciso Rodriguez in FX’s “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette”

(Eric Liebowitz / FX)

“Love Story” will follow the couple’s wedding in the latest episode, out March 5. (Rodriguez is portrayed by Tonatiuh on the show.)

After designing Bessette-Kennedy’s dress, Rodriguez launched his own label and a fragrance line, and has continued to create designs that are woven into the fabric of American history — Michelle Obama wore his dress on election night in 2008.

De Los spoke with Rodriguez about his career, upbringing and memories of designing Bessette-Kennedy’s dress.

You’ve spoken about how inspired you were by the women in your life growing up. Are there any “fashion icons” from your family or neighborhood that you could point to from your childhood?

You know, I’m so lucky because I was raised in a very Cuban household in a very culturally rich community in Newark. I mean, it was Italian, Spanish, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Black. It was everything. But I always think back to when I was very, very young, there was a kind of matriarch here in the neighborhood. Her name was Concha and she was kind of this lightning rod. My dad’s sister was married to her son, so when my parents came to the U.S., she gave them a place to stay. She would teach all of the young women how to cook and gave everyone a place to stay until they got on their feet. She was larger than life, she was like “Auntie Mame.” She had these great ‘60s beehive wigs in amazing wig boxes, she made these beautiful Chanel suits for herself, and had all these gold bangles, great lipstick and stilettos. When she came into the room, she just radiated power, joy and style. I always think of her as being my first signpost on the road.

They were all beautiful, you know? My aunts and my mom were the most beautiful, glamorous women. None of them were wearing designer clothes, but they took great pride and great care in how they looked, and that really made an impression on me.

How did that impression translate into a concrete passion? How did you go about actually pursuing a career in fashion?

I loved architecture. I loved building things, so I was always drawing, sketching and sculpting. Then I would see my mom take a piece of fabric and the way she could take something flat and shapeless and turn it into a garment was fascinating. By the time I was 13, I was doing fashion illustration, and I got a job in a tailor shop. Later, I enrolled myself in Saturday courses at Parsons [School of Design], and I kind of had to hide it from my parents at first. I felt like I couldn’t be a fashion designer, you know, because of the whole “macho” idea, but I just kept going. I was lucky that I was someone who always knew what they wanted to do, and that Parsons recognized I had talent for it at a young age.

I was exposed to really great people there, too. Donna Karan was a critic, Calvin Klein was a critic, Oscar de la Renta too. I got to do projects with all of them, and then I was hired after school by Donna Karan while she was still at Anne Klein. It was an amazing experience, and then I got poached by Calvin Klein, which was a very different experience.

How so?

It was incredible, but just very different. Whereas Anne Klein was this melting pot of creativity, Calvin was much more image-driven and precision-driven. He brought in great talents to collaborate with, so on any given day, you’d be working with the most amazing photographers, stylists and art directors. It was a really great finishing school as a young person.

You arrived at Calvin Klein during a period of reinvention for the brand. This was in the era of Kate Moss, and the famous “Marky Mark” print ads. We see a version of it in “Love Story,” but what was it like to actually be there?

When I got there, I think around 1989, it hadn’t really started to change yet. And I thought, “Wow, I made a really big mistake. This is not my aesthetic, not my thing.” But it changed very quickly, and it was very exciting. [Calvin] worked very hard. He was very focused, and he appreciated that I could keep up. Like everybody, there was a rough initiation period, but afterward, he gave me the opportunity to work on some tailored pieces that sold really well at retail, so I was rewarded with more opportunities.

But it was the ‘90s, and it was New York, and it was brilliant. It felt like the whole city was reinventing itself, and Calvin was a leader in that. All the best photographers, the most brilliant artists were there. Jacky Marshall, Zack Carr, Carolyn — the talent was endless. I was really fortunate to experience it and build friendships that were lifelong.

I’m curious if you remember your first impressions of Carolyn. How did you two connect?

We were quite friendly immediately, and then we became the best of friends. We lived in the same building, so the rest was history. You know, she’s an incredible person, and she had great style. She was bigger than life.

Carolyn has been regarded as a fashion icon, and especially now, everyone is trying to re–create her look. There was something more subtle and interesting going on than just “minimalist” fashion, so how would you describe what made her style so special?

Carolyn was so authentic in so many ways, and I think that she was very pragmatic about her choices. She had a great eye. She knew what worked for her, and she knew how to present herself. She never wanted to be uncomfortable. She was very connected to herself. I think so many people have this relationship to fashion and what they think they should look like based on the ideas they see in a magazine or being sold to you by the industry, and Carolyn never fell into that trap.

I have this conversation often with young designers, with people, with journalists. Today, everything that we see is inauthentic. Celebrities are paid to wear designer clothes. They’re styled by a stylist, and nothing is innate. That is the opposite of Carolyn. She was 100% real.

Narciso Rodriguez in 1997.

(Paolo Roversi)

We have to talk about her wedding dress. If you’re a bride, it’s impossible to look for inspiration without coming across her dress. What was it like to have a friend ask you to create something for such a special, important moment?

You know, until my children were born, Carolyn was the love of my life. We were very close, and she asked me, as you said, to make the dress that she would marry the love of her life in. It was very personal for me. It wasn’t a press event, it was a conversation between two people who were very close. I knew what looked good on her, she knew what looked good on her. I knew that she would never want to be bogged down with trains and lace. It wouldn’t be her.

What was the actual design process like?

It was an effortless collaboration. She came to fittings in Paris, we pulled the neckline down a bit lower, and the dress was born. I added the gloves, the veil and the shoe. It was just magical, and exactly the way it should be. It really made her the focus. You know, she was the one who pointed that out to me about my work. She always said, “You create a frame for a woman’s beauty and personality to shine through.” I’ve always thought that was a really beautiful thing that she gave me, because it’s true. I never want my work to be what you see first. I think the success of that dress is that you see her and her happiness and the purity of it all.

Everything about the wedding, including the dress, had to be kept a secret. Was it a challenge to make sure that no one knew what you were working on?

I was working in Paris, and I got approval from the owner of [Cerruti]. He was discreet about it. I worked with one pattern maker. I had a fit model who was lovely. Nobody knew who it was for. They always asked. But because I was working in Paris, they didn’t really connect me to her. I was also quite cautious when the dress was in work, I remember I had become quite friendly with Azzedine Alaïa. I asked, “Can I take this dress over to you and have you check it out to see what I’m doing?” I went over and he looked at the prototype, and said, “Why don’t you move this seam over the bum by a centimeter. I think it’ll be more flattering.” And I did, because he was the master, and he tortured me to know who it was for, but I never told him. Later, when it was all over the press, he would call and pretend he was a fancy lady looking for a wedding dress for her daughter. [Laughs] He tricked me a few times into believing some of his gags, but he was an amazing person.

It was just a magical time in all of our lives. And then I flew to America with the dress and went to the wedding, and it was that simple. You know, I’ve heard all these amazing stories about how the dress didn’t fit, and I had to sew her into it, and that she was hours late because of it, and none of this is true. But I love that people have made up all these stories.

Maybe the dress on her seems so effortless that people want to invent a way to complicate it.

[Laughs] I really have heard so many crazy stories, but when you look at the pictures, it certainly doesn’t look like it didn’t fit. That’s for sure.

As you mentioned, the dress was all over the press later. How did that moment impact your career?

Well, I went from Paris to my best friend’s wedding, and then I flew home to New York to do a pit stop at my apartment. When I arrived, there was a huge crowd outside the building with news trucks. I kind of walked through the crowd and into the building, and I said to the doorman, “What’s all that about?” And he looked at me, and he said, “They’re here to see you.”

Oh, wow.

It was a very big, kind of scary, unexpected change in my life. I remember going up to my apartment and trying to navigate that when Anna Wintour’s office called and said, “Anna would like for you to come to the Princess [Diana] benefit in Washington.” And I said I couldn’t go, I needed to be back in Paris, I didn’t even have a white shirt. And they said, “It’s Princess Di and Anna Wintour. You’re going. We’ll send you a shirt.” So I went, and I met Princess Diana, and it was really strange to be at such a big event and have so many eyes on me, because I didn’t expect that, and everyone was curious. I remember they were shady journalists trying to sit next to me and get information about where [John and Carolyn] went on their honeymoon. Life changed dramatically, but it brought great attention to the work that I was doing in Paris, and I was able to then go off and start my own business and do my own thing.

I’m sure you had an understanding through Carolyn about what it felt like to be hounded or followed by photographers and press, but did that firsthand experience in New York give you another layer of understanding for what she was going through?

It’s so funny because society today will do anything for that. But it was a very different time, and she was a very private person. I was a very private person. It’s very invasive, and I was kind of stuck in the middle, because while I needed to promote my work and my shows, and sort of be in the press, it wasn’t something that I was very comfortable with. I mean, I love doing the work more than I like the things attached to it. It can be debilitating, and it was difficult for me, but I adjusted, because I could hide behind my work, but as a private citizen, it was more difficult for her.

Narciso Rodriguez.

(Sølve Sundsbø)

You’ve been a part of fashion history on numerous occasions. Michelle Obama frequently wore your designs, but most famously, on election night in 2008, and then during her final appearance as first lady. How does it feel to have been a part of those moments?

It’s hard to put into words. You know, you spend so much time in it, and you have these amazing moments, like designing a dress that became legendary for brides, or getting to dress the first lady, and it wasn’t until COVID that I took a step back. I think about my mother and father coming here to give their son a chance to live out his dreams. And to have been able to sit with my friends on election night and watch her appear in my dress on such a historic moment — the first African American elected president of the United States — words fail. [Michelle Obama] is such an incredible human being who I admire so much, and to have been a part of that night, I feel so lucky.

I don’t talk about my work with my children, but the other day, when they were on the bus headed to school, they told one of their friends, “My dad went to the Obama White House.” They were proud of me. My parents’ dreams came true, and now I get to share that with my children. It’s very special.

It’s really powerful to hear you frame it that way — that these moments mean so much because of your experience being the child of immigrants. How does it feel to be in the midst of a revival right now?

It makes me want to create more. It means a lot to me that people remember these pieces, and that they’re still part of the conversation. But it also means a really great deal to me because I think it’s an important story to tell today. I think it’s important that young people hear that this kind of thing can happen to the children of immigrants, especially as I’m watching all of the horrible things happening to immigrants now.

I could never do what my parents did. When I think about it now, my parents were so much more successful than I could ever be, because they left behind their home for a cold climate, in a place where they couldn’t speak the language, and they really struggled for a long time before I was born. And now, the idea that we’re trying to take that opportunity away from people? It just blows my mind.

My parents faced so many hardships, their life wasn’t easy, but I can’t imagine if they had been put through what immigrants are put through today. I am the “American Dream,” right? I got the chance I got to do the work that I love and succeed because of them. I want that for everyone. I want that to be the world we live in.

MAYA Jama has posed with nothing but a fur stole after wowing at the Brit Awards.

The Love Island host, 34, presented the award for Artist of the Year at Saturday’s ceremony in a figure-hugging white, custom-made David Koma dress.

Maya completed the look with a white faux-fur stole and later stripped down to nothing except that wrap.

She took to Instagram to recap her Brit Awards night and shared the photo of her completely nude, with just the stole covering her modesty.

“Brit awards was so much fun! Presented Artist of the year to the absolute angel Olivia Dean & got to see all my pals wearing the dreamiest custom David Koma gown. Such a good year for British music,” she captioned the post.

People were quick to compliment her on the chic outfit and sexy poses.

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“Hot 🔥,” wrote one person, while another added: “Lushhhh.”

And Big Brother host AJ Odudu commented: “STUNNING.”

This year’s Brits were held Manchester for the first time in the show’s 50 year history, so Maya did not have travel far from her new home with Man City footballer Ruben Dias.

Maya and Ruben have been dating for around 18 months and she confirmed during the Brits broadcast that she’d made the move to Manchester to live with him.

Maya took to the stage alongside music legend James Blunt and said to the crowd: “Hello Manchester, I’ve just moved here so this is my new home. Love it. And James?”

The You’re Beautiful singer replied: “This is the most important award of the evening this is for best artist and I have to say that when I was relevant it was far easier.

“There were only 4 other people in the category but tonight we have 10 people.”

After sharing the nominated artists, the pair then revealed the winner as Olivia Dean who was nominated for five awards, and took home four.

REALITY star Kylie Jenner shoulders the brunt of the promotional work for her beauty range.

The 28-year-old slipped a tube of hydrating-butter lip balm under the strap of her mini dress for a shoot.

Kylie, who is dating Oscar-nominated Dune actor Timothée Chalamet, said setting up her cosmetics firm was born of insecurity — especially about her lips.

It has also helped her amass a £540million fortune.

But Kylie appeared to dissolve her lip filler when she attended the Baftas in England.

She debuted a much more natural look at the event with her boyfriend Timothee by her side.

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The reality star and her actor partner were in attendance at the Baftas which were held at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

While they did not walk the red carpet together, they were seen sitting side-by-side during the ceremony.

In the snaps, Kylie’s face appeared more natural than usual, with her lips looking thinner.

After the images from the event circulated online, one person on social media asked, “She dissolve that lip?”

“She looks like her old self,” penned a second.

A third added, “She looks sm younger.”

“Her lips actually look normal here,” penned a fourth.

“Honestly she looks so much better than she has done recently,” wrote a fifth.

A major airport sparked debate around airport dress codes when it announced it wanted to become the “world’s first Crocs-free AND pyjama-free airport”, and travellers have been left divided by the X post

A major airport has ignited controversy over appropriate airport clothing with an X post declaring “We’ve had enough.” Tampa International Airport took to X (formerly Twitter ) yesterday (February 26) with an announcement claiming it aspired to become the “world’s first Crocs-free AND pajama-free airport”.

The post opened with the declaration “We’ve seen enough. We’ve had enough.” before stating “The madness stops today.” The airport took aim at travellers sporting pyjamas in broad daylight, encouraging people to have a “difficult conversation” with relatives who might be guilty of such a fashion misstep, reports the Express.

While the airport went on to confirm to USA Today that the post was lighthearted, it nevertheless triggered a discussion about appropriate flying attire and whether dress codes ought to be enforced.

Its statement explained: “Tampa International Airport regularly shares lighthearted, satirical social media content as part of our ongoing effort to engage with our followers. Today’s post about ‘banning’ pajamas was another playful nod to day-of-travel fashion debates. We encourage our passengers to travel comfortably and appreciate our loyal followers who enjoy the online humor.”

While airports typically don’t enforce dress codes, there have been cases where passengers have been refused boarding or removed from planes based on their attire. In 2024, two women sporting crop tops were removed from a Spirit Airlines flight leaving Los Angeles after declining to cover up with their jumpers.

In 2025, the budget carrier updated its contract of carriage, warning that travellers who are “barefoot or inadequately clothed” could face boarding refusal or removal from the aircraft. Spirit’s terms and conditions specify this includes “see-through clothing; [being] not adequately covered; exposed breasts, buttocks, or other private parts”.

The airline also prohibits clothing and body art deemed “lewd, obscene, or offensive in nature” and states it may refuse boarding to passengers with “an offensive odor unless caused by a qualified disability”.

British airlines and airports haven’t yet introduced clothing regulations, apart from suggestions to dress comfortably, though certain airport lounges do have dress codes. No1 Lounges, which operates facilities at major hubs including London Gatwick and Heathrow, states on its website: “Yes, we have a dress code in place. We ask all our guests to wear smart-casual clothing.

“Our dress code stipulates that we reserve the right to refuse admission to anyone wearing clothing which we deem to be unsuitable. This includes themed or fancy-dress outfits, clothes with slogans that may cause offence, sports shirts, beach flip flops, vests, and clothing that exposes midriffs or upper thighs.

“Our My Lounge spaces are designed to be a little more relaxed and informal, encouraging guests to dress comfortably and express their individuality. Casual clothing, trainers, flip flops, and athleisure are welcome at My Lounge.” The policy does clarify, however, that unsuitable items such as fancy dress are still banned in these areas.

Despite its tongue-in-cheek tone, Tampa International Airport’s social media post ignited discussion about appropriate flying attire. One commenter enthused: “I love this! Let’s go back to the way it was in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s!”, accompanied by vintage photographs showing impeccably dressed passengers from bygone eras.

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Another countered: “I’ll dress nice again when we’re not treated like cattle at the airport and on the plane.” While contributor questioned: “How are you even classifying clothing as pajamas to begin with? Are sweatpants, yoga pants, children wearing soft clothes pajamas?”.

Would you back dress codes at airports and on airplanes? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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MAURA Higgins continued her fashion hot streak in a stunning designer dress in Milan.

The US Traitors star slipped into a £2,350 Roberto Cavalli number for Milan Fashion Week and cut a modelesque figure as she posed for photos.

The striking golden gown is described as “a tribute to the beauty and power of the sun” on the brand’s website.

Maura gave a glimpse into her hotel room, showing a Roberto Cavalli bag on her bed supplied especially for her by the brand.

The striking look comes hot on the heels of her head-turning appearance at the Baftas on Sunday.

At the Royal Festival Hall she wore a figure-hugging red satin gown with a silhouetted cape and a fan-like neckline for the ultimate sexy senorita look.

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Maura’s career is on the up and she’s been making big waves in America.

The 35-year-old hosts the Love Island USA spin-off show Aftersun and is in the final of Celebrity Traitors, where she struck up a friendship with Real Housewife Lisa Rinna.

She recently attended an event celebrating Lisa’s new book, You Better Believe I’m Gonna Talk About It.

The former reality TV bombshell, who shot to fame in 2019 with her razor-sharp one-liners and no-filter flirting, is fast becoming a US sensation. 

Back home, she has just bagged a six-figure deal with Victoria’s Secret — a major glow- up from her villa days. 

These days, Maura is living a jet-set life that would have felt a ­million miles away from her childhood in the town of Ballymahon, Co Longford. 

Of course, Maura’s American takeover didn’t come out of nowhere. 

In February last year, she found herself at the centre of a Brit Awards storm after being spotted by The Sun kissing married McFly singer Danny Jones.  

While his relationship drama played out publicly, trolls piled into Maura online, landing the blame firmly at her door. 

For a short while, she went quiet — but instead of retreating, she soon landed a spot on The Traitors US, which is hosted by actor Alan Cumming. 

And what looked like a ­reputational wobble in the UK has since become a full-blown American reinvention. 

A source said: “When the ­Traitors came knocking, she knew it could turn things around for her. Maura jumped straight into action. She was a woman who had something to prove.” 

After filming wrapped on the US series at Ardross Castle in Scotland last June, Maura walked away feeling confident that she had smashed it, according to pals. 

She has now signed up with top-tier agency Align PR, whose clients include Madonna and Hollywood stars Matthew McConaughey and Bryce Dallas Howard. 

She has even been doing some acting herself, landing a role in an Irish buddy movie, The Spin, due to be released later this month. 

MODEL Emily Ratajkowski knows how to stand out from the crowd — as she also shows off her new love interest.

The 34-year-old, pictured in a revealing structured dress, has posted pictures on Instagram of her with French film and music video director Romain Gavras, 44.

A series of shots shows them embracing as Emily wears a backless dress, posing in a snowy street and enjoying a breakfast.

The model looked stunning in a skimpy red dress as she cheekily stuck out her tongue for the camera.

Another snap showed Romain gently caressing her head and wrapping his arm around her while she wore a figure hugging backless dress and held a drink in her hand.

Others showed Romain posing in the snowy streets of New York City and an image of Emily, who wore a white headscarf and black sunnies.

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Fans flocked to the comments section and one wrote: “We love to see it.”

Another added: “Things that just make sense.”

While a third said: “Handsome! Great looking couple!”

Gavras has previously been in relationships with singers Dua Lipa and Rita Ora.

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DAISY Lowe looked stunning in a sheer lace dress, as she made her first public outing since announcing her second pregnancy.

The model, 37, showed off her growing baby bump, just a week after she announced her and husband Jordan Saul’s happy news.

The soon-to-be mum-of-two, who already shares daughter Ivy, two, with Jordan, 31, looked incredible as she stepped out for London’s Fashion Week.

The Strictly Come Dancing star looked every inch the yummy mummy as she showed off her growing baby bump.

Daisy pulled out all the stops in the daring sheer outfit which revealed her black lingerie.

The pregnant star looked happy and relaxed as she posed for the photos in her stunning outfit.

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She wore her long black hair loose and her make-up was glowing.

Daisy thrilled fans when she revealed her and husband Jordan were set to welcome their second child.

She wrote: “Heading home from our honeymoon with an extra stowaway.

“Little bump is growing FAST & Ivy is so excited to meet *her* baby.”

Daisy and property developer Jordan married just seven months ago.

The model, whose dad is Bush rocker Gavin Rossdale, wed her new husband Jordan exactly five years after they met in June 2020.

The happy couple had a chance encounter while out walking their dogs on London’s Hampstead Heath.

After a whirlwind romance, Daisy announced her first pregnancy in October 2022, a month after getting engaged.

Daisy said at the time: “I wanted to share some news with you. Jordan and I are having a baby.

“We are absolutely bursting at the seams with happiness. I’m oscillating wildly between excitement & nervousness with a dash of morning sickness thrown in for good measure! Big love to all of you.”

Daisy then gave birth to their daughter Ivy the following year.

But now she is expanding her brood by another bundle of joy.

When women take the ice for Thursday’s Olympic free skate in the global fashion capital of Milan, five skaters will compete in dresses made by Los Angeles-based designer Lisa McKinnon.

McKinnon has become the must-have name in figure skating couture, dressing the entirety of the U.S. and South Korea women’s teams. Americans Alysa Liu, Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito wore McKinnon’s designs in the short program and will do so again in the free skate.

And one of those dresses may be featured on the medal podium. Liu stands in third place after Tuesday’s short program, while Levito is in eighth and Glenn tumbled to 13th with the free skate still to come.

McKinnon knows exactly how clothing needs to fit on bodies moving across the ice — for spins, for jumps, for everything it takes to win. The fabric must be able to stretch in all directions, which necessitates a four-way stretch fabric. Design with a two-way stretch and a skater might not be able to lift their arm. Dress skaters in spandex, power mesh and stretch velvet, and they’ll move like they do in training.

American Amber Glenn competes in the figure skating short program at the Winter Olympics in Milan on Tuesday.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

McKinnon sources most of the fabric locally from the fashion district in downtown L.A.

“It’s really great to just go in person because sometimes it’s the fabric that can inspire you to create something with,” McKinnon said.

McKinnon’s time on the ice that taught her how to create fashion for an athlete tailored for movement and aesthetic appeal. She grew up as a competitive figure skater in Sweden, and she started making bodysuits and dresses — which she wore to practice — for herself at age 11 or 12. By 16, she was designing dresses for elite skaters in her hometown, Mariestad, Sweden, including a Swedish national champion. At the time, they shared a coach, and the coach asked McKinnon to design a dress for the skater.

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

After high school, McKinnon skated in tours in Europe and then North America. In the United States, she first settled in Las Vegas, where she designed dresses for local skaters. When she moved to L.A., bigger name skaters started calling. She designed for Ashley Wagner, three-time U.S. champion, and Karen Chen, who competed in her dresses at the 2018 Olympic Games. McKinnon says they were the ones who “got her noticed.” Noticed to the point that Milan is by no means the designer’s Olympic debut. In 2018, she outfitted pairs gold medalists Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot from Germany.

Since then, McKinnon has become the go-to designer for elite women’s figure skaters in the United States. At U.S. nationals in St. Louis in January, eight of the 18 senior women competed in McKinnon’s dresses. In the final warm-up alone — composed of the six skaters leading after the short program — five wore McKinnon designs. There, Glenn, Liu and Levito stood on the podium in her dresses.

In St. Louis, McKinnon hand delivered a dress to Liu, the reigning world champion who debuted a long-awaited Lady Gaga free skate routine. Liu practiced in the dress and McKinnon was able to make on-the-spot adjustments.

Surprisingly, hand delivery isn’t the norm for the dresses that run from $3,000-$8,000, averaging around $5,000 (McKinnon charges by the hour). Because McKinnon designs for skaters who train all over the country — Liu in Oakland, Glenn in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Levito near Philadelphia in southern New Jersey — FedEx shepherds the dresses across the country. Skaters make sure the dresses fit OK before McKinnon and her four-person seamstress team add sparkle, which usually means a crystal count in the thousands. Beads, paillettes and pearls are often mixed into the shine. Each crystal is hand affixed with E6000 glue.

American Christina Carreira and partner Anthony Ponomarenko compete during the ice dancing free skate at the Winter Olympics on Feb. 11 in Milan.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

McKinnon affixed faux rose pedals to a dress for American ice dancer Christina Carreira to debut during the skater’s own Olympic debut. Midway through the skating season, Carreira and partner, Anthony Ponomarenko, returned to their free dance from two years ago, “Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.” They needed new costumes to differentiate from their performances two years ago, and McKinnon had already designed costumes for the team’s rhythm dance to La Bouche’s “Sweet Dreams.” McKinnon made the new dress in a little over a week, and it was set to arrive three days before Carreira left her training base in London, Canada, for the Games.

Except the dress didn’t arrive.

McKinnon learned that the package was stuck at a FedEx facility in Memphis, Tenn., after Winter Storm Fern pummeled the region.

“We would call and sometimes they’d say it’s in L.A., sometimes they’d say it’s in Memphis, so we didn’t know where it was,” Carreira said. “We weren’t getting answers, but going on social media actually helped.”

Carreira woke up after her flight to Milan to find an Instagram message with a photo of her dress. A woman told Carreira that her husband had found the package and put it on the first plane to Detroit, where Carreira’s coach, Scott Moir, retrieved the package to bring to Milan.

Carreira first tried on the dress in Milan. “It fit perfectly,” she said. “Lisa has never met me. She’s only seen me over FaceTime, and the two dresses she’s made fit perfectly.”

Carreira and Ponomarenko placed 11th in their Olympic debut.

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

Carreira came to McKinnon’s designs through Glenn, who skated her short program to Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” wearing a McKinnon design based on the 1989 music video. After admiring McKinnon’s designs, Carreira talked it over with Glenn at an early season competition in Oberstdorf, Germany.

“She said Lisa was super easy to work with,” Carreira said. “The dresses fit perfectly.”

McKinnon designs from her studio, which occupies the first floor of her apartment in West Hollywood. There, McKinnon and her team watch their dresses take the runway in Milan. Except the runway is made of ice and the skaters will do much more than walk.

DUA Lipa shows she’s a real catch as she wears a netted dress to fiancé ­Callum Turner’s film premiere.

The singer, 30, shone in the mesh gown alongside Callum at the Berlin launch of Rosebush Pruning.

Callum, 36 yesterday, stars in the satirical thriller — and he’s also being talked up as the next James Bond.

Dua has fronted campaigns for Versace, Yves Saint Laurent Beauty, Pepe Jeans and Puma.

The lucrative deals have helped boost her fortune into the tens of millions and firmly cement her status as one of pop’s highest earners.

Fresh from her sold-out Radical Optimism stadium tour, the music star showed off a £25,000 engagement ring.

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Callum and Dua first sparked dating rumours in January 2024 after they were spotted looking close at a Los Angeles afterparty.

By that December, she set tongues wagging when she posted festive snaps wearing a sparkling diamond ring.

Following a whirlwind romance, they finally confirmed their engagement in June 2025.

The Fantastic Beasts actor has previously shared the story of their first meeting.

Describing his superstar fiancée as “the most beautiful woman in the world”, he revealed they met at a mutual friend’s birthday party in LA in 2024.

The pair bonded after discovering they were reading the same book.

“We sat next to each other and realized we were reading the same book, which is crazy,” Callum told The Sunday Times in October.

“It’s called ‘Trust’ and I had just finished the first chapter and I told her and she looked at me and said ‘I just finished the first chapter too’. I said, ‘So we’re on the same page.’”

The book Trust is a 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Hernán Díaz exploring themes of money and ambition.

Since going public, the couple have been spotted together at awards ceremonies and film premieres on both sides of the Atlantic.

They are expected to marry later this year.

LOVE Island host Maya Jama uses all the experience under her belt to ensure that the show’s contestants stay happy.

The 31-year-old was pictured in a revealing black dress with a belt for Love Island All Stars Games Night episode.

Contestant Lucinda Strafford, 26, stormed off the set in tears following a row.

In an unusual move, Maya paused the game to comfort her.

Love Island fans are convinced that Maya secretly hates one girl after they spotted a huge clue during last night’s challenge.

The drama got so bad that host Maya was forced to step in and comfort Lucinda after she stormed off and broke down in tears.

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Maya made a return to the villa for the Honesty game, where islanders were asked to answer brutal questions in front of all of the other couples.

With the Islanders in their couples, they had to decide between themselves which other couple fits the bill. 

But eager eyed viewers noted that Maya seemed to secretly dislike Belle after spotting how she pulled up Belle.

Maya asked: “Which couple has the least sexual chemistry?”

Belle said it was Leanne and Scott due to him previously being in a love triangle with her.

This led to Belle shouting at Scott for saying that she was the one doing the chasing.

A stern Maya interrupted and said: “Belle, if it wasn’t 70-30 what was it?”

Belle replied that Scott was fully invested and that he had a good way of dancing around things to make things look right.

Fans took to social media and one wrote: “MAYA CALLING BELLE OUT FOR TALKING BS.”

Another said: “The fact Maya could’ve stayed where she was but went after Lucinda shows that even Maya knew Jessy, Belle and Samie were doing too much.”

A third added: “Maya having to step in to comfort Lucinda bc of the bullying. Belle, Jessy & Samie COUNT YOUR DAYS.”

SYDNEY Sweeney is in knockout form in a 1950s cream gown. 

The Housemaid actress, 28, wore the fitted gown to the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, where her and Wuthering Heights actor Jacob Elordi, 28, held hands after each being honoured with the Virtuosos Award. 

Sydney, who won for boxing flick Christy, said: “We were actually fighting.  

“We were breaking noses, we had bloody noses, I had a concussion.  

“It was very real. I sent them all care packages afterwards – I felt really bad.” 

Christy was based on the incredible life and career of champion boxer Christy Martin. 

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Martin married her coach Jim Martin – despite being a lesbian – before he tried to KILL the fighter by stabbing and shooting her.

The boxing great – who later married her former opponent Lisa Holewyne – survived the attack while Jim was jailed for 25 years.

Martin’s sensational story was played out on the big screen by Sweeney – who went under a dramatic transformation for the role.

She trained for three months with a boxing coach before filming while also doing weights and having a nutritionist.

Sweeney worked out up to three times a day – while piling on the pounds with a fast food diet of Chick-fil-A and milkshakes.

ACTRESS Margot Robbie hits the Wuthering Heights of style — in a leather mini dress.

The Australian star was promoting her new movie, an adaptation of Emily Bronte’s classic love story, with a Q and A at Claridge’s in central London.

Last night, the 35-year-old appeared with co-star Jacob Elordi, 28, on The Graham Norton Show.

Jacob, who plays Heathcliff alongside Margot’s Catherine, said the couple’s obvious chemistry in the film was down to “mutual obsession”.

He said: “If you have the opportunity to share a film set with Margot Robbie, you’re going to make sure you’re within five to ten metres at all times.”

Margot and Jacob play Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, respectively, and are joined in the film by Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes and Ewan Mitchell in supporting roles.

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Margot wore a see-through corset dress at the Wuthering Heights premiere in London

She dazzled in a see-through nude mesh gown with gold detailing and a white corset underneath, which showed off her incredible figure.

The Barbie actress was recently named the world’s most beautiful woman in a poll.

We revealed in October how Margot is being lined up to take on the leading role in a big budget remake of cult horror film American Psycho.

MARGOT ROBBIE looked stunning in a see-through corset dress as she lead the stars at the Wuthering Heights premiere in London.

The Barbie actress, 35, made sure all eyes were on her as she stepped onto the red carpet in Leicester Square in an eye-catching ensemble.

She dazzled in a see-through nude mesh gown with gold detailing and a white corset underneath, which showed off her incredible figure.

The top of the dress was connected with rope straps which held onto a frilly choker around her neck.

She brought her look to life with a pair of strappy gold heels and had her dark locks pulled back into a chic bun.

Margot went for a cool make-up look complete with pink eyeshadow, a nude lip and some blush.

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She was joined on the red carpet with her co-star Jacob Elordi, who looked dapper in an all-grey suit.

He towered over her in in a grey shirt, trousers, tie a long flowing blazer jacket which he paired with smart black shoes.

The Hollywood actors were all smiles as they posed up a storm together, with Jacob pulling in Margot with his hand around her waist.

The leading pair were joined by a whole host of stars from the worlds of television and film.

The iconic Helen Mirren graced the carpet in a navy suit jacket and trousers, along with a white shirt and a gold and silver necklace.

She wore a pair of funky matching navy heels and beamed from ear to ear for pictures.

Meanwhile, Charli XCX, who composed a full concept album and soundtrack for the film, looked sensational in a pink strapless gown with a veil draping her entire body.

The singer looked ethereal as her dark heavy make-up could be seen underneath her veil.

A whole host of Love Island stars descended upon Leicester Square to rub shoulders with Hollywood’s finest.

Harry Cooksley and Shakira Khan were giving power couple energy as she looked sultry in a short black dress with straps and a thigh-high cut out.

She paired her outfit with fishnet tights and layers of metal chains around her neck.

While Harry looked smart in a matching black suit, with a white shirt and a gold brooch.

Conor Phillips and Megan Forte Clarke also opted for matching ensembles, in a black frilly gown and a jacket and trouser combo.

Newly-married series 9 winners, Kai Fagan and Sanam Harrinanan looked happier than ever as they smiled for the photographers, despite it raining in the capital.

Strictly Come Dancing star Tasha Ghouri wowed in a red wine corset with a frilly skirt and Liberty Poole looked amazing in a figure-hugging black mesh gown with a red mermaid tail and black gloves.

Wuthering Heights has been written and directed by Emerald Fennell and is loosely inspired by Emily Bronte’s classic 1847 novel of the same name.

Margot and Jacob play Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, respectively, and are joined in the film by Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes and Ewan Mitchell in supporting roles.