Alysa Liu wore her identity to the MET Gala and the internet had opinions. For a 20-year-old who has spent her entire career being told she is too young, too different, or too much, none of that was new. The double Olympic gold medalist didn’t show up to the 2026 MET Gala just to play safe. It was rather a fashion statement and a bold declaration. The moment the trolls came in, Liu did what she always does on the ice, i.e., holding her edge.

Liu worn a rather extravagant red ruffled gown that made her stand out. The dress was designed by Louis Vuitton, inspired by Liu’s own athletic form, as she later attested. 

“I love the theme, especially as an athlete, because for me it’s all about the relationship with clothing and our bodies as an artistic medium,” Liu said, as per Vogue. “I’m a figure skater—we are the winter artistic sport!”

Unfortunately, the internet hated it. Not every single corner of it, but several sections across social media all called out Liu. And they all had the same thing to say, calling her dress a “prom” dress. Not quite what the American figure skater may have intended to wear, but for many, that’s exactly what it looked like.

There is some similarity to the standard prom dresses that many Americans wear. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, yet it does come as a surprise given that Alysa Liu’s dress fit the theme of the 2026 Met Gala perfectly. The event was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York with the theme of the evening was “Costume Art” and the dress code set as “Fashion is Art”.

The event saw tennis superstar Serena Williams wear a shining silver dress adorned with branches down one of her legs. Her sister, Venus, opted for the opposite color, going all-black with a diamond necklace. This seemed like a trend among tennis stars as Naomi Osaka showed up wearing an all-white dress before taking off the jacket and hat to reveal a red dress. Liu’s may have featured ruffles in the front, but it definitely made a statement alongside the others.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise as Liu has never shied away from the extravagant. At the Winter Olympics, she wore a gold dress for her individual performance and walked away with the gold medal  to match. Her MET Gala look carried the same energy, but this time it was more specifically hers. Stylist Katie Qian and LV helped bring that vision to life. And Qian has been clear about why the ‘Fashion is Art’ theme suited Liu so well. For the 20-year-old, figure skating has always been an art form. But this time, MET Gala was just a different stage.

“We thought these themes were perfect because Alysa represents the intersection of both,” Qian told Vogue. “She is an elite athlete who uses her body every day in training and performance, and she is also a true artist when developing her programs.”

She added, “We wanted Louis Vuitton to help us elegantly reference vascularity, cell structure, and muscle tissue, which are reflected in the red hue as well as the detailed ruffles.

“It also happens to emulate how ice is carved when figure skating! The dress perfectly frames the feet and accentuates the curves, and we are thrilled with how it turned out.”

While several “trolls” didn’t quite like what Alysa Liu was wearing, she seemed to definitely love it. After all, her style is not quite what is usually expected, something she has admitted in the past.

Alysa Liu reflects on her personal style ahead of 2026 MET Gala

If the 2026 Winter Olympics were the stage, then Alysa Liu was the star. The 20-year-old has become the modern personification of turning athletic performance into immediate success. So much so that she’s turned into both a social media superstar and a Gen Z fashion icon. That was especially after she turned up with halo coloured hair while wearing rather extravagant dresses that made her stand out. And that was her plan, as Liu told designer Lisa McKinnon that she wanted to stand out somewhat.

That’s because the 20-year-old’s style is rather “eclectic”. That has been evidenced by the pieces she has worn over the past two months, including at Paris Fashion Week. While not quite as lavish as her Met Gala dress, Liu kept things classic. She wore a denim jacket and matching jeans, which allowed her brown-and-blonde striped hair to take center-stage.

“My style is very eclectic!” Liu admitted to Elle. “My personal style has evolved over the years naturally, as I’ve gotten older, but mostly because I’m coming back into myself.

“I know what I like and what makes me feel good, but because I’m still evolving, it’s fun to leave room for the unexpected and the discovery part of my personality.”

It was exactly what many expected her to wear and fans responded in like. However, the Met Gala wasn’t about playing it safe. Instead, Liu made that clear with a look that meant more to her than public approval.