




Alysa Liu for Harper’s Bazaar | AUG 18, 2026
STORY BY
SOPHIE WANG
PHOTOGRAPHS BY CASPER KOFI;
STYLING BY YASHUA SIMMONS
“At the core of Liu’s comeback was an amplified sense of autonomy, which is rare for a sport that still abides by strict dress codes and a litany of both written and unwritten rules. Her signature striped hair—or, rather, the decision to dye it as she pleases—was as important to her as competing. Her ability to select her own music for her programs, to have input on her costumes, and to control her training schedule were nonnegotiables.
“I really value my creative freedom. A lot of why I skate is to get to express myself, so without that, it’s like, ‘Why would I skate?’” Liu says.”