You'd be hard-pressed to identify film costumes as widely recognisable as the ones introduced to us in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Take Dorothy's ruby red slippers that are on display at the Smithsonian as an obvious example. This means when Wicked costume designer Paul Tazewell was brought onto the project by director Jon M. Chu, he was essentially tasked with reintroducing audiences to pieces they've been long familiar with in a distinct and new light.
“There's an emotional arc that's created by the choices I'm making [with these] clothes,” Paul told Cosmopolitan US. “They're different reflections of who these women are and what their style is – and as we move through their year, they're also emotionally changing,” he continued, referring to the characters of Elphaba and Glinda, portrayed respectively by Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
During Cosmo's chat with Paul, he gave insight into how he was able to pull off this tall order for the record-breaking box office hit. He's been working in this space since he was 16 years old, and given his first ever job was creating looks for a stage production of The Wiz as a teenager, this job marked a full-circle moment for the Tony Award-winning and Oscar-nominated designer.
“I'm working with the same story and characters – a different interpretation, but 33 years later, here I am,” he said.
In the full sit-down interview above, watch Paul detail his creative approach, react to fan recreations of his Wicked costumes, and explain why it took 225 hours (that's over nine days straight for those doing the maths at home) to create Galinda's bubble dress. He may also have let slip details about the upcoming part two...
Annabel Iwegbue is a culture editor at Cosmopolitan, where she primarily covers pop culture, lifestyle, relationships, and digital trends. She previously wrote for Harper's Bazaar, The Knockturnal, and Black Film. She's originally from Charleston, South Carolina, and is currently based in Brooklyn, New York. She holds a B.A. in Journalism and Cinema Studies from New York University. You can check out some of Annabel’s work here and also find her on Instagram and Twitter.
