‘Wicked’s’ Paul Tazewell Makes Oscars History as First Black Man to Win Best Costume Design

Rich Polk

“Wicked’s” Paul Tazewell has made Oscars history by becoming the first Black man to win for best costume design.

Tazewell, a previous nominee for “West Side Story,” already has an Emmy award (“The Wiz Live”) and Tony award (“Hamilton”) under his belt. He triumphed over fellow costume designers: Arianne Phillips (“A Complete Unknown”), Linda Muir (“Nosferatu”), Lisy Christl (“Conclave”) and Janty Yates and David Crossman (“Gladiator II”).

Tazewell has swept the season scooping up the BAFTA, Critics Choice and Costume Designers Guild awards along the way. He was also named one of Variety’s 10 artisans to watch in costume design, and was honored with the Variety Artisan Award in costume design at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

He is the second Black person to win in that category overall – Ruth E. Carter made Oscar history when she won for her work on “Black Panther.” She won a few years later for the film’s sequel “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

In his speech, Tazewell acknowledged his historic moment saying, “I’m the first black man to receive the costume design award…I’m so proud of this.” He went on to thank the U.K team for their “beautiful work.” He also thanked “Wicked’s” leading ladies. He said, “My Ozian muses, Cynthia and Ariana, I love you so much.”

For “Wicked,” he designed over a thousand costumes for the big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical. His most iconic pieces were creating Glinda’s bubble dress and Elphaba’s black dress.

Using the springboard of the 1939 film, “The Wizard of Oz,” Tazewell began with the idea of why Elphaba played by Cynthia Erivo wears black. He felt it set her apart in this colorful world of Shiz, but Tazewell also explained it’s a reflection of her mourning for her mother, who died in childbirth. His challenge was in bringing richness to his choice since “much of the detail gets absorbed into the black.”

He used felted fabric, gauze and chiffon to make the Elphaba’s black dress. He found inspiration in the pleated underside of mushrooms. Said Tazewell, “It became about interpreting that into fabric and texture.”

As for finding the pink for Glinda’s bubble dress, Tazewell looked at the original 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz” and the dress worn by Billie Burke. While the costume designer knew it was important to nod to the original Glinda and capture the “iconic” creation, Tazewell went for a softer pink and a warmer shade that became its own new design. The silhouette of the dress had a structured, hand-beaded and embroidered bodice which opens up to a bell shape. Tazewell also wanted to keep it translucent. He says, “It gives us a lighter-than-air quality.”