Note: All the references (interviews, translations, etc.) used for this post are listed below the cut
In the 2018-2019 season, Yuzuru Hanyu came to compete as the newly crowned double Olympic champion. He dedicated his short program (Otonal) to Johnny Weir and his free program (Origin) to Evgeni Plushenko, two skaters Yuzuru admired since childhood.
Origin 1.0 - the costume which has the aura of the Prince of Darkness, as described by Satomi Ito herself, the costume designer¹. I consider this one of the top iconic Yuzuru Hanyu costumes because it deviates from the usual brightly colored ones (think about the blue-based costumes, for example) and he embraces the dark. I do not mean dark as in only color, but also judging by the vibes. The only other costume I can think of as channeling dark(ness) is Masquerade.
There is a striking contrast between the relaxed, skating around Yuzuru Hanyu and the competition mode ON Yuzuru Hanyu. The difference is made specifically by his expression. However, in both instances, the costume seems to create a barrier between him and the rest of the world. Origin 1.0, a black and gold lace-top paired with black velour pants, is the first competition costume worn by Yuzu after winning his second Olympic gold medal and I like to think this costume is made to emphasize that Yuzuru Hanyu is untouchable.
The base of the top is a skin-coloured fabric with overlaid black lace. On the front, the chest's jagged opening creates the illusion of feathers spreading protectively, a subtle dynamism enhanced by the diagonal, slightly winding fabric and golden details orientation. In contrast, on the upper back, the gold fabric follows the curve of the shoulder blades and ribcage, like an exoskeleton, while the lower back's lines are naturally flowing downwards, highlighting the waist. Here and there few dark-red beads can be noticed which confer depth and nuance to the costume.
Origin 1.0 is based on Yuzuru's surname: 『The non-human born of feathers』². As such, the most important detail is represented by the feathers - around 100 handmade black and white feathers by Satomi Ito, applied manually, and the white ones airbrushed black in the middle to maintain the costume's cohesion. Another subtle detail lies in the purple rhinestones. They are seamlessly integrated within the costume so much so that these become noticeable only in close-up photos (see below).
Contributing to the depth of the costume are the purposefully ripped holes within the lace. Satomi Ito took to making those herself in the process of bringing Origin to life². The holes convey a subtle ragged look, of someone who has seen darkness and embraced it. They complement the entire look beautifully, adding to the Prince of Darkness theme.
Origin 1.0 is one of those costumes made of multiple layers with various details applied without looking heavy or overly ornated. It maintains an apparently basic pattern while being full of hidden gems.
At the end of another 'incomplete' season (Yuzu injured his ankle during 2018 NHK's FS practice, winning the event despite it, but having to withdraw from GPF and Japan Nationals), Yuzuru commented in a post-Worlds 2019 interview that the black and gold costume was meant to be "accessorized" only with gold medals (paraphrased)³.
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Personally, I have been quite vocal on this blog about my undying love for the Origin sisters. They are in a constant battle to be my favourite.
Today, Origin 1.0 won for four reasons:
1) the theme is right up my alley
2) there is an easily found translation of an interview with Satomi Ito about the making of the costume (and I'm proud to say I understood the costume and the vision before reading the interview)
3) Yuzu won for the first time both of his GP assignments - he really was determined to have only gold associated with Origin 1.0.
4) 2019 Worlds Origin deserved the gold
1. Translation by @/marika_yuzu
2. "Figure Skating Fan" Magazine 2018-2019 『Born from feathers』 Translation
Otonal is the short program which Yuzu used during the 2018-2019 season and partly during the 2019-2020 season (he switched back to Ballade No. 1 & Seimei for 2020 4CC - for more info about the change, watch this). This program is a tribute to Johnny Weir, one of the skaters which inspired Yuzu.
In 2018, the rules of figure skating changed and the +/-5 GOE system was introduced.
With Otonal, Yuzu broke two world records. The first, at the 2018 Grand Prix of Helsinki with a score of 106.69 points (at this GP, Yuzu also broke the world record for the FS and for the total score).
Yuzuru became the first skater to score above 110 points at the 2018 Rostelecom Cup in the new system (110.53 points, to be exact), thus breaking a second world record within a couple of weeks.
Chronologically, these are Yuzu's 13th and 14th world records. The first 12 are now considered historical.
For more information about Otonal as a program check this post. For a shorter breakdown of the StSq, here.
As it generally happens when Yuzu recycles programs, his costume underwent quite a change from 2018-2019 to 2019-2020. The two versions are generally referred to as Otonal 1.0 and Otonal 2.0.
Once again, blue Yuzu costumes. It could be that the colour for Otonal is chosen to correspond to JW's own Otonal costume.
[Such a long post. Read more under the cut.]
Otonal 1.0
For the making of the costume - here
The design of Otonal 1.0 struck me as unique the first time I saw it. The short hem of the top is quite unusual, however, I like how it draws attention to Yuzu's waist. The sequins added to the high waist of the lower part of the costume contribute to this effect as well.
This is the first costume of Yuzu's which has a deep V-neck and a high collar in the back (Origin 2.0 has a similar design). I prefer this gradient to the ones the Chopin costumes had. It's a soft transition from an extremely light shade of blue (Geyser) to a darker shade of blue (Matisse). It contrasts beautifully with Yuzu's skin tone and it's easy to follow on the ice, too.
The cleavage is covered with skin-coloured mesh-cloth. The ruffles on the sides of it are interwoven with sequin strips that crisscross and small rhinestones. There's also a subtle color difference between the ruffles and the cloth underneath them.
The sequin-pattern travels down the front and nicely wraps around the back alongside the hem of the top.
The vertical back pattern also consists of crisscrossed sequin strips with simple sequins scattered around, a beautiful center piece of the costume. Personally, I see within this back pattern a resemblance to the traces left by blades on ice.
The upper arms and the wrists together with the back of the hands don the same crisscrossed pattern with sequins around them. The details and the way everything flows together for this costume make it one of my favorite Yuzuru Hanyu costumes ever. The blue theme is also a plus for me.
At 2018 Autumn Classic, Yuzu wore skin-colored gloves. In later competitions, Yuzu chose dark colored ones as they contrast with the ice and the hand-movements, all the way to the fingertips, are easier to see. It's well-known how much attention Yuzu pays to the choreography of his programs - even his fingers have their own choreography, so it's important for us, the public, to be able to see the movements clearly.
Plus, the gloves emphasize the elegance of Yuzu's hands and gestures.
Otonal 1.0 is genuinely one of Satomi Ito's best creations for Yuzu, in my opinion. It can be argued that compared to other costumes (such as Phantom of the Opera, Seimei or Otonal 2.0) the design is simpler. Nevertheless, the beauty lies in how all the elements come together and when Yuzu skates, this costume is magical.
Otonal 2.0
Ice Emperor - this is the first thing that comes to mind when I see Yuzu wearing this costume. The pose, the eyes, the spirit of this athlete, all create a stoic and confident image.
This time, the costume is a very light shade of blue - it definitely reminds me of how ice is usually shown in drawings hence my instant connection to the term "Ice Emperor".
I admit that the first photo is not perfectly showing off the colors of Otonal 2.0 nor is it too helpful for distinguishing the details. Yet, I chose this photo specifically because of the pose since I wanted to present a direct contrast between Otonal 1.0 and Otonal 2.0.
This costume is much more complex than the first version, in my eyes. There are multiple shades of blue used, the gradient still being present, although, it is a subtle gradient. At a first glance and seen from afar, the costume seems to get darker from top to bottom. While this is technically true, the gradient is not uniform. The strips of material that create the 'shredded' hem can be seen to have different shades of blue. This detail enhances the beauty and uniqueness of this costume as well as allows the costume to flow naturally.
The high neckline enriches the elegance of the costume as a hint of the ruffles from Otonal 1.0 remains. The folded material on the torso seems to be a bit bulky, yet the sequins and few rhinestones manage to soften the look. I truly like the way the top has an overlapping effect based on how the material is sewed and on the angle of the folds. On Yuzu's right, they are angled to flow downwards, while the ones on his left are oriented towards the center. The effect is further supported by the sequins placement - running along the folds.
While Otonal 1.0 mostly has silver sequins and sequin strips (detail which I've just noticed), Otonal 2.0 combines more sequin colors - gold, silver, dark and light blue. In the above close-up photo, the visual is stunning. What can't be seen in this photo but is noticeable in the first and last Otonal 2.0 photos are the sequins on the front that run down the 'overlap' stitch creating a beautiful more prominent strip.
The back of the costume maintains the folded fabric style with the zipper running down the middle of the back, becoming the line where the folds meet. In contrast with the front of the costume, the back pattern is formed of multiple Vs alternating from light to dark blue. Moreover, the Vs are accentuated by the sequins. The 'shredded' hem is a gentle transition between the sharp pattern and the plain black pants. The colors of the sequins used are the same as the ones on the front as expected in order to maintain the symmetry of the costume.
The sleeves are another beautiful feature of the costume. While the front and back are loaded with fabric, sequins and various gradient stages, the sleeves are light and nearly empty. This gives a balance to the costume. Also, I can't quite tell from these photos if the sleeves are almost see-through or simply very lightly colored.
Nevertheless, the details, such as the faded dark blue lines together with the sequins and the dark blue cuffs, complete Otonal 2.0's look. As pointed out for Otonal 1.0, Yuzu prefers gloves that contrast with his costumes for the gestures to be seen more clearly. This version doesn't lack the gloves either and they blend in well with the cuffs.
Overall, Otonal 2.0 is far more elegant than 1.0, in my opinion. Both are incredible costumes and fit the music very well (not to mention the choreography).
There's been a debate going on through my mind about which Otonal version I prefer. I'd have thought once I wrote this post (I refrain from calling it an 'analysis' since I'm simply describing the things I'm seeing) I would know.
Not a chance. I was once an Otonal 1.0 lover then Otonal 2.0 sneaked in , so now I'm indecisive. Since there's no competition needed, though, I can safely conclude that both costumes have their own vibe and create different atmospheres for the program while in motion. Otonal 1.0 is more relaxed, dare I say, playful, while Otonal 2.0 is serious and commanding all the attention.
This is a post-series that’s meant to complement the ranking of Yuzu’s senior SPs in order of personal preference
Note: The costumes are in the order I ranked Yuzu’s SPs, not in order of least favourite to favourite costume
