As Paul Tazewell was conceiving design ideas for “Wicked,” mushroom gills served as an unlikely inspiration for Elphaba’s black dress.
The costume designer had stumbled across a documentary about mushrooms. Tazewell says, “I became aware of the beauty of different kinds of mushrooms because of the texture and different colors.”
Tazewell was tasked with designing the costumes for “Wicked,” starring Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda. The idea to align Elphaba with nature stemmed from the character’s history.
Says Tazewell, “She is this little oppressed girl being called out because of the color of her skin and ostracized even within her family.” He added
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