From the dazzling period costumes in West Side Story and Harriet to the sees in the magical world of Wicked, Academy Award-nominated costume set uper Paul Tazewell has shown that restricted artists weave as much versatility into their originateive DNA. “I adore period toil and inestablishing stories connected to history. What excited me about Wicked was set uping a world rooted in period silhouettes while also creating a fantasy,” he says.
For the monumental task of altering the beadored Broadway hit into two films, the set uper says he drew upon a wealth of inspiration: “Wicked was about digging meaningful into where the distinct story came from. With the L. Frank Baum book, the 1939 film, Gregruesome Maguire’s Wicked and the Broadway musical, you’ve got four separateent conveyions of the same story.” Maintaining the essence of the show while putting his own spin on it, Tazewell presentd a recent perspective without enticount on up-to-dateizing it. “We stayed real to the join’s visual language,” he says, “but inserted layers that echo the characters’ emotional journeys.” Tazewell had an even more personal connection to the Oz universe, noting that “I participated to watch it every year. It’s part of my visual memory prohibitk, and it shaped how I see icons.” This recognizableity donates to the experienceing of the costumes as both nostalgic and distinct.
One tradelabel of Tazewell’s Wicked toil lies with his rootedness in character, transporting depth and nuance to the film’s amazingal wardrobes. Two standout costumes — Cynthia Erivo‘s Elphaba witch hat and her Emerald City dress — echo this philosophy. “I produce set up decisions particular to the character and their story, slfinisherking about what choices they would produce and how that retardys to their identity,” he elucidates. “For Elphaba and Glinda, it’s all about balancing their relationship and how their costumes grow aextfinished with them,” set agetst a world of weightless and stupid contrasts.
Mushroom, fungus and Fibonacci spirals served as inspiration for Elphaba’s dresses, resulting in a Victorian-upgraspd silhouette rooted in 1890s create that pays tribute to the distinct Wicked Witch of the West, joined by Margaret Hamilton in the 1939 film.
Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures; Courtesy of Unviersal Pictures
Ariand Grande’s Glinda bubble dress and the participate of pink pay homage to the distinct Glinda, Billie Burke, from 1939’s classic The Wizard of Oz, while emphasizing more up-to-date notions of femininity. “The fabric has that same translucent quality, but we gave it a more sculptural, up-to-date expoundation,” Tazewell says. “It’s all fantasy closlfinisherg, but I wanted to produce a recent icon — someslfinisherg recent for these characters.”
Inspired by “bubbles floating into the sky,” Glinda’s dress is a technical marvel. Besystematich the gown is a crinoline layer reminiscent of a petticoat, topped with iridescent organza. “It has hooping to produce set up and functions appreciate a traditional hoop skirt,” Tazewell says, describing the engineering disputes he faceed. “I placed stiff nylon netting cut into spiral shapes and twisted into cones to donate the gown weightlessness.”
Glinda’s dress was upgraspd by the idea of bubbles floating in the sky, while the pink phelp homage to actress Billie Burke’s portrayal of Glinda the Good Witch of the North in the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz.
Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures; Courtesy of Unviersal Pictures
The dress, decorateed with beads, crystals and sequins, elicits a sense of whimsy. “It had to experience weightless, as if it were floating on air. There was a lot of engineering joind to asstateive it transferd gracebrimmingy when Ariana Grande wore it,” Tazewell persists. Inspirations also join the timeless elegance of Grace Kelly and Dior’s 1950s skirt suits, inserting a touch of vintage glamour to the set ups.
When originateing Elphaba’s wardrobe, Tazewell took more than a restricted dangers, leaning into the character’s stupidness and individuality. Having collaborated with Erivo on Harriet (the two dispense a adore of create), Tazewell remarks that “Elphaba may be marginalized and ostracized, but that doesn’t unkind she conciseages personal style. I wanted to produce bgreaterer choices for her — a echoion of her inner world.”
The result is a Victorian-upgraspd silhouette rooted in 1890s create, paying tribute to the distinct Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton in the 1939 film). The set uper drew from organic elements — mushrooms, fungus and Fibonacci spirals — to upgrasp the earthy textures, such as micropleated fabric and felted details. Says Tazewell: “There’s a whimsy in the way her bodice embroidery and puffed sleeves convey; and how the skirt transfers when she spins, I always slfinisherk about how she would get up space and transfer thcimpolite the world.”
Tazewell remarks that a administering philosophy of his set ups is the choices made by those who wear them. “For every character, I dwell vicariously thcimpolite their story,” he says. “Their needs impact my dispensement in the toil. I want to infer a quality of life for them, one that becomes authentic once the actor steps into the costume and brimmingy inhabits the role.”
The costumes for Elphaba (joined by Cynthia Erivo) leaned into the character’s stupidness and individuality, says costume set uper Paul Tazewell.
Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures
This story first materializeed in a December stand-alone publish of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To get the magazine, click here to subscribe.
