On a night when the world’s best figure skaters dazzled the crowd at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, it was Alysa Liu who truly stole the show—and not just with her flawless jumps and spins. At only 20 years old, Liu clinched the gold medal in the women’s free skate at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on February 19, becoming the first American woman in two decades to stand atop the Olympic podium in this fiercely competitive discipline. But it wasn’t just her athletic prowess that had fans and commentators buzzing—it was her unmistakable alt-girl style, her creative flair, and, yes, that glimmering 'smiley' piercing peeking out every time she flashed a victorious grin.
Liu’s journey to Olympic gold is a story of resilience, reinvention, and unapologetic self-expression. The Oakland, California, native first burst onto the scene as a teenage phenom, only to retire at 16—an age when most skaters are just beginning to dream of Olympic glory. But Liu wasn’t finished. She launched a comeback that would see her help Team USA claim gold in the figure skating team event and then, in a stunning solo performance, capture the first women’s singles gold for the United States since 2006.
Her career-best score of 226.79 points in the free skate on February 19 was the culmination of years of dedication, a testament to her technical and artistic mastery. Yet, for many fans, it was the little details—her platinum-blond and brunette striped hair, thick eyeliner, and that distinctive piercing—that made her performance unforgettable. The piercing, a small piece of jewelry glittering from the tissue connecting her upper lip to her gums, is what’s known as a frenulum or 'smiley' piercing. And in true Alysa Liu fashion, she did it herself.
“I had my sister, like, hold up my lip, and I was like looking in the mirror, and then I had my piercing needle, and then I, yeah I just put it through,” Liu told NBC, recounting the moment she added the unique touch to her look a little over two years ago. When asked about the pain, Liu didn’t hesitate: “You can’t feel it,” she said, rating it a 'zero out of 10.'
For Liu, the piercing is just one part of a larger story about self-expression and creative control. She’s become a hero of the alt, punk, and emo crowd, a skater who’s as comfortable in masculine streetwear off the ice as she is in dazzling, self-designed costumes on it. “I feel really comfortable in it. Off the ice, I don’t dress as feminine. To me, that is skating. I’ll wear skirts, too, but I definitely love a good masculine street style. When I am at public events and I’m wearing my usual style, people will say, ‘Oh, I thought you were, like, a snowboarder.’ I take it as a compliment. I like throwing people off,” Liu explained in an interview with Cosmopolitan.
Her hair, now a signature part of her look, tells its own story. Inspired by the rings of a tree, Liu adds a new 'halo'—a colored stripe—each year, marking time and transformation. “You know how trees have rings for their age? I thought, every year I’m gonna add a new halo around my hair,” she shared with NBC. She’s been rocking the look since 2023, and for this Olympic season, she traveled to a salon in St. Louis to get the platinum stripes just right. “You need, like, salon-grade products,” Liu said. “This is exactly what I wanted.”
Liu’s creative vision extends beyond her hair and piercing. She designs many of her own skating dresses and insists on complete artistic freedom, even negotiating with her coaches to ensure she could express herself fully upon returning from retirement. “No one tells me what I’m gonna wear. No one tells me how my hair is gonna be. No one’s gonna try to change me,” she told Cosmopolitan. When warned that some judges or higher-ups might take issue with her bold style, Liu stood her ground: “I said if they tell me to dye my hair back, I will quit. If they don’t like it and they want to give me less scores or treat me differently, that’s on them. If I change my hair, it’s gonna be because I wanted to.”
Her individuality has resonated with fans worldwide, but it’s also inspired her teammates. Alongside Isabeau Levito and Amber Glenn, Liu is part of the self-dubbed “Blade Angels,” a tongue-in-cheek homage to “Charlie’s Angels.” The trio rejected other nicknames like “Powerpuff Girls” and “Babes of Glory,” opting instead for a moniker that captured their camaraderie and edge—while steering clear of trademark headaches.
Of course, all the style in the world wouldn’t matter without substance on the ice. Liu’s technical performances throughout the Games were nothing short of spectacular. After placing third in the short program on February 17, she delivered a free skate for the ages. Her jumps were crisp, her spins fast and centered, and her artistry—accentuated by her unique look—brought the crowd to its feet. The judges rewarded her with that career-best score, and the gold medal was hers.
But perhaps what makes Liu’s victory most remarkable is the context. The U.S. women’s figure skating program has long been searching for a new star, someone to follow in the footsteps of legends like Michelle Kwan and Tara Lipinski. For 20 years, American women watched as skaters from Russia, Japan, and elsewhere dominated the Olympic podium. Liu’s triumph in Milan is more than just a personal milestone—it’s a turning point for U.S. figure skating, a sign that a new generation is ready to take center stage, on their own terms.
As the Olympic flame continues to burn in Milan, Alysa Liu’s gold medal and her bold, authentic style have given fans plenty to cheer about. Whether it’s the glint of her smiley piercing, the story behind her striped hair, or her fearless approach to fashion and competition, Liu is redefining what it means to be a champion—one dazzling performance at a time.
With the world watching, Liu’s journey is far from over. But for now, she stands as the face of a new era in American figure skating—one where individuality and excellence go hand in hand, and where a smile can truly light up the ice.