Isabeau Levito has realized the dream she has cherished since childhood: skating in the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. For her, competing in Italy is a homecoming of sorts. Born and raised in the United States, the 18-year-old Levito has Italian origins; her mother, a biologist who in the late 1970s chose to change her life by moving overseas, was born in Italy, and her grandmother and other close relatives also live in Brianza, a few kilometers away from the ice skating arena.

Levito, a former US national champion in 2023 and silver medalist at the World Championships in 2024, brings a signature lightness and grace to the ice. But she also paid homage to her Italian origins by emulating Italian screen star Sophia Loren. In her Olympic debut with the short program, Levito performed to a medley of two songs: “Almost in Your Arms” from the film A Husband for Cynthia, which Loren sings alongside Cary Grant, and La Miliardaria, a song with a more upbeat rhythm and sharper movements.

In Levito’s performance, a few narrative elements turned the ice into a stage and transported the audience inside a cinematic choreography: the red costume with the black rhinestone-covered bodice and en pendant gloves, the light-catching jewelry, and a few beauty details of extreme refinement. A subtle black eyeliner, Loren’s signature style, and quintessential diva make-up featuring mascara, a bit of blush on the cheeks and a discreet nude lipstick.