By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-05 17:07:35 | Updated at 2024-12-23 15:47:55
2 weeks ago
The Wicked costume designer has shared the shocking inspiration behind Elphaba's iconic black dress.
The first installment of the two-part movie adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical hit theaters last month, and immediately, it was a massive success.
Now, the man who created the stunning ensembles worn by the characters on screen, Paul Tazewell, has spoken out about what went into curating their looks.
He explained to the Today show recently that he was 'very intentional' in the way that he dressed main characters Glinda (played by Ariana Grande) and Elphaba (portrayed by Cynthia Erivo) because what they wear tells just as much of a story as what they say and do.
'Glinda is privileged. She sees the world through rose-colored glasses. [Her pink clothes are] her armor, the same way that Elphaba uses black as her armor,' he explained.
'There's nothing accidental about what their styling is. I wanted for each of them to feel and and appear as beautiful as possible, even in how they represent themselves.'
Paul said he had 'in-depth discussions' with the director about how the characters' clothing could 'reflect their emotional arc.'
The actors were also heavily involved in picking their looks, as he revealed that Cynthia tried on 'multiple versions' of her witch hat before she decided on the perfect one.
Wicked costume designer Paul Tazewell (seen) has shared the shocking inspiration behind Elphaba's iconic black dress
He explained to the Today show recently that he was 'very intentional' in the way that he dressed main characters because what they wear tells just as much of a story as what they say and do
When it comes to the black gown she wears near the dramatic ending of the film, Paul revealed that it actually had a very special hidden meaning behind it.
He said the texture of the all-black frock was inspired by mushrooms, something he wanted to incorporate due to Elphaba's love of animals and nature.
'I started looking at fungus, mushrooms and trees. There was something that felt very magical about that idea,' he shared.
'In contrast with her ability to fly and manipulate gravity, keeping her grounded and connected to the Earth was really important story-wise.'
He noted that the character famously always wears all black in the play and the original Wizard of Oz movie that it was inspired by, so it was vital that he stuck to that.
And without the ability to add any color to spice up her looks, focusing on the texture of her garments was vital.
As for Glinda's dazzling pink bubble dress that she's seen wearing in the opening segment of the movie, Paul explained that it was a direct tribute to the Wizard of Oz.
'My intent was for it to reference the original Wizard of Oz dress but be different,' dished the costume designer.
When it comes to the black gown Elphaba wears near the dramatic ending of the film, Paul revealed that it actually had a very special hidden meaning behind it
Paul said the texture of Elphaba's all-black frock at the end of the film was actually inspired by mushrooms, something he wanted to incorporate due to her love of animals and nature
'There's nothing accidental about what their styling is. I wanted for each of them to feel and and appear as beautiful as possible, even in how they represent themselves,' he added
As for Glinda's dazzling pink bubble dress, he said, 'My intent was for it to reference the original Wizard of Oz dress but be different'
He said the intricate design contained a whopping 20,000 beads and took 225 hours to make.
'It's really a joy to be a part of it,' Paul concluded.
Wicked broke box office records with a $114 million opening at the US box office - the most for any musical adaptation ever - part of a global take of $164,180,000.
The play-turned-movie tells the story of how the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz came to be.
It's based off of Gregory Maguire's best-selling novel, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Witch of the West.
