SINCE winning the all- around gold medal at he 2008 Beijing Olympics, Nastia
Liukin has enjoyed success far away
from the gymnastics podium.
Promotions, endorsements and the
July launch of the Nastia Liukin
Supergirl fashion line have filled her
agenda since Beijing. During a summer
camp at UCLA, Liukin, who will turn
21 on Oct. 30, sat down for this
exclusive interview with IG.
One on One:
The 2008 Olympic champion discusses
fashion, fame and her thoughts on returning
for the 2012 London Olympics
By John Crumlish
What exactly has been your involvement in
the design and look of your fashion line?
I’ve had a lot of say. Obviously leotards are my
forte. I’ve designed every leotard I’ve competed
in, not counting the national team ones. I feel
like a lot of singers who can write lyrics to
express themselves. For me, doing gymnastics
was my way of expressing myself, but in my
downtime I loved being able to create leotards.
It’s really cool to be able to see something in
my head, put it on paper and then see it made.
That’s how it’s been with my clothing line.
When I met with the designers for the first
time, I brought a lot of things from my
wardrobe and some of my personal favorites to
the design room. They wanted to get my sense
of style, because they didn’t know me very well.
What is the “look” of the line? I wanted it to
be comfortable, but cute and fun at the same
time. I didn’t want it to be just a fashion line; I
wanted there to be a meaning behind it. It really helps to have Warner Bros. involved and
have it be Nastia’s Supergirl, and not just
Nastia’s line. Supergirl is such an iconic brand.
You see the “S” shield and you know what it is.
I feel that little boys and guys have had
Superman for a while, but girls have never really had a superhero they can look up to.
From elementary school to high school, it’s
difficult because you don’t really know who
your true friends are. You’re supposed to fol-
low. And with your parents, you’re like, ‘Do I
follow what they say, or do I do what my
friends do?’
With this [line], I hope they’re not only able
to wear it and feel comfortable, but be inspired
and empowered and go after their dreams.
How would you define your personal style?
Most of the day I’m in sweats [laughs], but outside the gym, I’m definitely a girly-girl. I love
heels. Everyone’s always like, ‘How do you
walk in those?’ I’m like, ‘I don’t know, they
look cute with my outfit!’ I’m very into fashion.
I’d probably say my style is chic, but sometimes
edgy. I also love getting dressed up, especially
when you walk the red carpet—hair, make-up,
dress, heels and all that fun stuff. I’ve always
been like that. I never really had the chance,
because for seven hours a day you’re in a leotard, sweats and tennis shoes. So on the weekends it’s fun to let your hair down and wear
stuff you don’t always wear.
You have long been a role model for young
gymnasts, but since Beijing the general
public has been following you. What is your
perspective on being a role model to young
people, not only to young gymnasts? When
it’s natural that you know what you’re doing is
right, you don’t have to worry about, ‘Did I say
the wrong thing? Did I do something bad? Is it
going to be written about?’ It’s still in the back
of your mind that people are watching, but I
owe a lot to my parents who raised me the
right way. They grew up in Russia, and it’s a lot
different from the way it is here. They’re not
quite used to a lot of stuff I’m doing. We’re
going through it together, and that makes it
more special. We’ve bonded so much more as a
family. We’ve always been close, but this experience has made us closer and [made us] step
outside our comfort zone.
When will you decide whether or not to try
for the 2012 Olympics? Gymnastics has
always been my life, but right now there’s not
even time to get back in the gym. I’m trying to
get in some kind of shape. I think by the end of
this year I’ll decide 100 percent. I’m still going
back and forth. Whether I continue to compete
or not, I know I always have my accomplish-
ments, but there are still some unfulfilled goals.
Even though I’ve achieved the biggest thing in
gymnastics, there are still goals to be set in the
sport. My dad (and coach Valeri) says, ‘What-
ever you want to do, you can do.’ Our goal was
to go to the Olympics. We achieved it and went
past that, by winning (all-around) and with five
medals. He says, ‘If you want to do this, I’m
going to help you. But I’m not going to push
you. It has to be your decision.’
How much pressure do you feel from people who might expect you to do as well in
the all-around in London as you did in
Beijing? I’m doing this for myself. Of course, it
would be great to win the all-around again, but
that’s not quite my goal at this point. I’ve
already accomplished what I set out to do, and
nobody can take that away from me. At this
point we are missing that team gold medal, so
I’d love to help the USA win the team gold
medal. And going to world championships—I
still need that one medal to break the record
(for most medals won by an American gymnast). I feel that, if I can get back into it, it’s
within reach. I know people are going to say
‘She’s not as good as in 2008.’ That’s correct,
because you work 15 years for that moment.
It’s hard, because after Beijing, gymnastics has
been in the spotlight, but in the past it was a
once-every-four-years kind of sport. People
don’t really understand, especially because I
