The Renaissance-style costumes worn by Gwendal Peizerat and Marina Anissina, playing Romeo and Juliet at the Nagano 1998 Olympics matched with Prokofiev’s musical theme. The classical costumes were specifically designed by Natalia Bolshakova to create a contrast with the innovative choreography. The skaters started interpreting Shakespeare’s story from the end. The programme began with Juliet waving the dagger with which she kills herself and Romeo lying dead on the ice. The final lift evoked the famous balcony scene, but with Anissina unexpectedly lifting her partner. Figure skaters who perform in the pairs or ice dance are more exposed to potential costume malfunctions because their clothing is more likely to catch and tear during lifts. Their costumes must be designed with these constraints in mind and are tested on ice several times. To strengthen the seams of the Swarovski crystals and avoid any incident or loss, Bolshakova waxed the thread before sewing, a technique she learned at the Bolshoi. Gwendal Peizerat wore tapered trousers and a quilted jacket that the designer lined with a thin synthetic winterizer to give it volume and shape without weighing it down. By choosing these elements, Bolshakova wanted to visually lengthen the athletes.