Nastia Liukin Breaks Down Her Fabulous Outfits for the Tokyo Olympics — Including a Kobe Tribute

Traveling Light

"I traveled with six suitcases. I was so lucky that my stylist Gabriela Tena, she actually flew to Dallas for about a week or two before I left for Tokyo. And we tried on every single look and we then paired every single look with shoes and accessories and everything," Liukin tells PEOPLE.

She continues, "And she is like a professional packer. Not really, but like she has this talent ... and so she organized every single look and then took photos of each. And so we have a shared iCloud album on our phones that's by look. So, an appearance or an event or an interview comes up and I can quickly go to the album and be like, 'Okay, what have I not worn?' "

Perfect in Purple

Liukin, who covered all two weeks of the Games, wears a Ganni turtleneck and lilac Veronica Beard shorts.

Pretty in Pink

Liukin, who is wearing an Adriana Iglesias two-piece set and Kat MaConie shoes, says that when she got to Japan, she "unpacked and organized everything."

She notes, "And so, that was helpful, to just be able to stay organized in that sense. Because that's a lot of days, and it's a lot."

Suited Up

Liukin pairs her green heeled wrap sandals by The Attico with a white silk shorts suit and matching turtleneck.

A Trendy Trench

Liukin admits that she has "no idea" how to categorize her personal style.

"I love being able to wear dress with sneakers and then, wear like a Dior dress," she explains. "I go back and forth, I guess, from edgy to girly."

Rainbow Connection

Liukin, in a pink sweaterdress and multi-color Kat MaConie shoes, tells PEOPLE she looks to "Hailey Bieber a lot for her sense of fashion and style, just because I feel like she can kind of do a very red carpet look to then she just looks very edgy and cool, yet sophisticated when she's wearing sneakers and like a more toned down look."

A Special Tribute

"The first look that I wore for the first day of gymnastics, I had purple pants on. And that, to me, was just kind of a little tribute to Kobe Byrant and Gigi Bryant," she tells PEOPLE. The late basketball star and his daughter were tragically killed in a 2020 helicopter crash. Explains Liukin, "Kobe was one of my biggest mentors. And we actually met for the first time at the 2008 Olympics where we competed together on Team USA. And this is the first Olympics without them here."

The "little tribute" helped Liukin kick off the Olympics she says, and reminded her that Bryant "always inspired me with the way that he did things within his career after he retired from basketball and in his transitions and everything that he did."

Perfectly Polished

Liukin pairs a Zimmermann dress with Chloe Gosselin t-strap heels and a high pony for the women's artistic gymnastics qualifying rounds.

A Sneaker Moment

Liukin matches her Nike sneakers to Camila Coelho Collection orange trousers and a similar shade blazer.

Jumpsuit Joy

Liukin was wearing a pink leotard when she won the women's individual all-around back in 2008, so she honors that with a vibrant pink Safiyaa jumpsuit during the 2021 competition.

Red-y or Not

"For the women's team finals, I wore a red Dior dress that actually I got here in Tokyo," she tells PEOPLE. "I really wanted to wear something special and something red because the top eight teams that qualified to team finals, each of their flags have red in it."

Hearts Flutter

Butterflies have a "lot of different meanings" to Liukin, which is why she picked an Alice and Olivia top covered with the pretty insects. She pairs it with gold Jennifer Behr butterfly pins in her hair.

"I remember a moment specifically at the 2008 Olympics, before I had won any medal," Liukin says. "But I was standing with my five other Olympic teammates, and we were about to walk out onto the Olympic floor for the very first time, we hadn't competed, but we were about to become Olympians for the first time. ... And so I remember we all had almost tears in her eyes and butterflies in our stomachs. And we were about to embark on the most memorable experience of our lives."

Tied Up

"There's just a little meaning behind each and every look," Liukin says, including this pink dress and Alexandre Vauthier sandals that feature a rose embellishment.

Back in Black

Liukin's white Louboutin pumps go perfectly with her Alessandra Rich black dress with a white collar and broach. Her pearl-encrusted bun was created by hair and makeup artist Alexis Day.

Tie-Dye Vision

"I try to talk these things out with [my stylist] Gabby and with her vision ... she can translate my words, and because she knows me so well, we've become obviously very close," Liukin, wearing Retrofete here, says. "She's able to turn those words and thoughts into looks, which has been really fun."

A Final Statement

For her last ensemble in Tokyo, Liukin carries a Dior bag while escaping the rain in a Theory white dress and ZCD sneakers.