Nastia Liukin.Photo: Nastia Liukin/Instagram
01of 16
Traveling Light
“I traveled with six suitcases. I was so lucky that my stylistGabriela Tena, she actually flew to Dallas for about a week or two before I left for Tokyo. And we tried on every single look and we then paired every single look with shoes and accessories and everything,” Liukin tells PEOPLE.
02of 16
Perfect in Purple
03of 16Pretty in PinkLiukin, who is wearing an Adriana Iglesias two-piece set and Kat MaConie shoes, says that when she got to Japan, she “unpacked and organized everything.“She notes, “And so, that was helpful, to just be able to stay organized in that sense. Because that’s a lot of days, and it’s a lot.”
03of 16
Pretty in Pink
Liukin, who is wearing an Adriana Iglesias two-piece set and Kat MaConie shoes, says that when she got to Japan, she “unpacked and organized everything.”
She notes, “And so, that was helpful, to just be able to stay organized in that sense. Because that’s a lot of days, and it’s a lot.”
04of 16
Suited Up
05of 16A Trendy TrenchLiukin admits that she has “no idea” how to categorize her personal style.“I love being able to wear dress with sneakers and then, wear like a Dior dress,” she explains. “I go back and forth, I guess, from edgy to girly.”
05of 16
A Trendy Trench
Liukin admits that she has “no idea” how to categorize her personal style.
“I love being able to wear dress with sneakers and then, wear like a Dior dress,” she explains. “I go back and forth, I guess, from edgy to girly.”
06of 16Rainbow ConnectionLiukin, in a pink sweaterdress and multi-color Kat MaConie shoes, tells PEOPLE she looks to “Hailey Biebera lot for her sense of fashion and style, just because I feel like she can kind of do a very red carpet look to then she just looks very edgy and cool, yet sophisticated when she’s wearing sneakers and like a more toned down look.”
06of 16
Rainbow Connection
Liukin, in a pink sweaterdress and multi-color Kat MaConie shoes, tells PEOPLE she looks to “Hailey Biebera lot for her sense of fashion and style, just because I feel like she can kind of do a very red carpet look to then she just looks very edgy and cool, yet sophisticated when she’s wearing sneakers and like a more toned down look.”
07of 16A Special Tribute"The first look that I wore for the first day of gymnastics, I had purple pants on. And that, to me, was just kind of a little tribute to Kobe Byrant and Gigi Bryant,” she tells PEOPLE. The late basketball star and his daughter were tragically killed in a 2020 helicopter crash. Explains Liukin, “Kobe was one of my biggest mentors. And we actually met for the first time at the 2008 Olympics where we competed together on Team USA. And this is the first Olympics without them here.“The “little tribute” helped Liukin kick off the Olympics she says, and reminded her that Bryant “always inspired me with the way that he did things within his career after he retired from basketball and in his transitions and everything that he did.”
07of 16
A Special Tribute
“The first look that I wore for the first day of gymnastics, I had purple pants on. And that, to me, was just kind of a little tribute to Kobe Byrant and Gigi Bryant,” she tells PEOPLE. The late basketball star and his daughter were tragically killed in a 2020 helicopter crash. Explains Liukin, “Kobe was one of my biggest mentors. And we actually met for the first time at the 2008 Olympics where we competed together on Team USA. And this is the first Olympics without them here.”
The “little tribute” helped Liukin kick off the Olympics she says, and reminded her that Bryant “always inspired me with the way that he did things within his career after he retired from basketball and in his transitions and everything that he did.”
08of 16Perfectly PolishedLiukin pairs a Zimmermann dress with Chloe Gosselin t-strap heels and a high pony for the women’s artistic gymnastics qualifying rounds.
08of 16
Perfectly Polished
Liukin pairs a Zimmermann dress with Chloe Gosselin t-strap heels and a high pony for the women’s artistic gymnastics qualifying rounds.
09of 16A Sneaker MomentLiukin matches her Nike sneakers to Camila Coelho Collection orange trousers and a similar shade blazer.
09of 16
A Sneaker Moment
Liukin matches her Nike sneakers to Camila Coelho Collection orange trousers and a similar shade blazer.
10of 16Jumpsuit JoyLiukin was wearing a pink leotard when she won the women’s individual all-around back in 2008, so she honors that with a vibrant pink Safiyaa jumpsuit during the 2021 competition.
10of 16
Jumpsuit Joy
Liukin was wearing a pink leotard when she won the women’s individual all-around back in 2008, so she honors that with a vibrant pink Safiyaa jumpsuit during the 2021 competition.
11of 16Red-y or Not"For the women’s team finals, I wore a red Dior dress that actually I got here in Tokyo,” she tells PEOPLE. “I really wanted to wear something special and something red because the top eight teams that qualified to team finals, each of their flags have red in it.”
11of 16
Red-y or Not
“For the women’s team finals, I wore a red Dior dress that actually I got here in Tokyo,” she tells PEOPLE. “I really wanted to wear something special and something red because the top eight teams that qualified to team finals, each of their flags have red in it.”
12of 16Hearts FlutterButterflies have a “lot of different meanings” to Liukin, which is why she picked an Alice and Olivia top covered with the pretty insects. She pairs it with gold Jennifer Behr butterfly pins in her hair.“I remember a moment specifically at the 2008 Olympics, before I had won any medal,” Liukin says. “But I was standing with my five other Olympic teammates, and we were about to walk out onto the Olympic floor for the very first time, we hadn’t competed, but we were about to become Olympians for the first time. … And so I remember we all had almost tears in her eyes and butterflies in our stomachs. And we were about to embark on the most memorable experience of our lives.”
12of 16
Hearts Flutter
Butterflies have a “lot of different meanings” to Liukin, which is why she picked an Alice and Olivia top covered with the pretty insects. She pairs it with gold Jennifer Behr butterfly pins in her hair.
“I remember a moment specifically at the 2008 Olympics, before I had won any medal,” Liukin says. “But I was standing with my five other Olympic teammates, and we were about to walk out onto the Olympic floor for the very first time, we hadn’t competed, but we were about to become Olympians for the first time. … And so I remember we all had almost tears in her eyes and butterflies in our stomachs. And we were about to embark on the most memorable experience of our lives.”
13of 16Tied Up"There’s just a little meaning behind each and every look,” Liukin says, including this pink dress and Alexandre Vauthier sandals that feature a rose embellishment.
13of 16
Tied Up
“There’s just a little meaning behind each and every look,” Liukin says, including this pink dress and Alexandre Vauthier sandals that feature a rose embellishment.
14of 16
Back in Black
15of 16
Tie-Dye Vision
16of 16A Final StatementFor her last ensemble in Tokyo, Liukin carries a Dior bag while escaping the rain in a Theory white dress and ZCD sneakers.
16of 16
A Final Statement
For her last ensemble in Tokyo, Liukin carries a Dior bag while escaping the rain in a Theory white dress and ZCD sneakers.
source: people.com
