About Our Speaker: Oscar, Emmy, and two-time Tony Award-winning designer Paul Tazewell is a defining creative force in theater, film, and fashion.
Tazewell is best known for his costume design for the record-breaking film adaptation of WICKED, which received widespread acclaim following its release in November 2024. Costumes like Glinda鈥檚 iconic pink bubble dress, which required over 225 hours of work, became a symbol of his meticulous craftsmanship and visual storytelling. In Spring 2025, he made history as the first Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Costume Design 鈥� a season that also brought him a BAFTA Award, Critics鈥� Choice Award, and the Costume Designers Guild Award for "Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film."
Across stage and screen, Tazewell鈥檚 work has shaped some of the most significant productions of the past three decades. With over 30 Broadway credits to his name, his designs for HAMILTON earned him a Tony Award in 2016, followed by a second in 2025 for DEATH BECOMES HER. Additional theatrical work includes IN THE HEIGHTS and THE COLOR PURPLE. On screen, his costumes have elevated films such as 鈥淲est Side Story鈥� (Oscar nomination), 鈥淗arriet,鈥� and 鈥淭he Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,鈥� as well as television events like 鈥淭he Wiz Live!鈥� (Emmy Award) and NBC鈥檚 鈥淛esus Christ Superstar Live.鈥�
His aesthetic voice also resonates in the world of fashion. For the 2025 Met Gala, he collaborated closely with Janelle Mon谩e and Thom Browne to create Mon谩e鈥檚 striking sculptural look 鈥� a seamless fusion of form, identity, and theatrical design. That same evening, he partnered with eBay to craft a fully upcycled ensemble for Chappell Roan: a pink patchwork suit and cape made from more than 830 leather pieces.
Though celebrated for his achievements in costume, Tazewell鈥檚 creative practice defies category. His current work spans product design, interiors, publishing, and architecture 鈥� a multidisciplinary approach grounded in storytelling, materiality, and the artisan鈥檚 hand. With upcoming projects across fashion, home, and media, he continues to reimagine what it means to design with intention in the digital age.