When Alysa Liu won gold in the women’s free skate in Milan during the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, her victory was undeniable. So was the statement Liu made with her now-viral hairstyle. Scrolling through photos of her on the ice, you’ll be met with horizontal bands of Olympic-medal gold weaving through her dark hair — not just an experimental style choice, but intentional, angel halo hair. Liu’s hair is the kind of statement that makes you pause, zoom in, and immediately open a new tab to decipher its meaning.
The symbolism of Liu’s hairstyle hits harder once you learn the backstory. Every halo in Liu’s hair represents a chapter: a year lived fully, lessons learned, confidence reclaimed. And for someone who stepped away from competitive skating at 16 and then returned on her own terms, these rings are an extension of her creative control. In a recent TikTok, Liu gave viewers a “hair tour” and told Paralympian Haven Shepherd, “I just want to be a tree.” So while it’s easy to assume she was just going for gold with her hair (pun fully intended), Liu actually wanted the rings to mark the passage of time in the same way rings of a tree do.
In the weeks leading up to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Liu collaborated with hairstylist Kelsey Miller to brighten up her halos. “Your hair is truly your identity,” Miller said to Liu about her hairstyle. “It can help with your confidence.” Liu’s hair wasn’t the only visual detail making history, either. Not only did she win both team and individual Gold medals, she is also the first Asian American Gold Medalist in women’s figure skating singles since Kristi Yamaguchi.
Figure skating has a reputation, and yes, it’s a little icy. For decades, women on the ice have been expected to look perfectly polished — slicked back buns, hyper-feminine dresses, not a strand out of place. The “ice princess” aesthetic is practically baked into the culture of the sport. So when Liu glided across the rink with her angel halos, dark eyeliner, and “smiley” piercing, it hit different. She didn’t water herself down to fit the mold, she won gold exactly as she is.
That’s ultimately what makes Liu’s hair so powerful. Yes, the bands represent growth. Yes, they’re poetic little tree rings marking time. But they’re also proof that individuality and excellence aren’t mutually exclusive. With a little hair dye and dreams of going home with the gold, Liu sent a message to every little girl that they, too, can win without sacrificing their identity. Who says hair can’t hold meaning?