She’s going to be popular!
Paul Tazewell used his magic to create incredible costumes in “Wicked.”
But creating an iconic outfit – to be worn by Ariana Grande’s Glinda the Good Witch – This was no easy feat for the 60-year-old costume designer.
“I would say the bubble dress we first saw Glinda in was probably the most challenging and time-consuming because it required so much engineering that it floated over Ariana’s body,” Tazewell told The Post in an exclusive interview. Be visible.”
For the Tony and Emmy Award winner, it was important to get it done glinda’s bubble dressWhich was started by 31-year-old Grande Universal’s two-part film,
“We wanted it to retain a bounce that reflected everything that was captured in the bubbles and air,” Tazewell explained. “And then the embellishments and the layers of different sheer fabrics, that’s what all that will be.”
“There was a tremendous amount of research and development that went into figuring out how to make sure there was support from the ground up,” he added. That was all it took to figure it out.”
Tazewell also revealed which of Cynthia Erivo’s on-screen costumes was the most difficult to create.
“For Elphaba, I would say it’s the Emerald City outfit that she wears when she goes to meet the wizard for the first time. Because again, it is one that has a very intricate puzzle of wavy chiffon, pleated chiffon, laid on it,” he said.
Tazewell continued, “Given the delicate hands of the makers who were able to craft it, it took me a long time to figure out what the overall shape would be and how it would run best and what kind of underpinning it would require. ” Well.”
“And that’s just for this movie,” Tazewell said, noting that he created more costumes for Grande, 37, and Erivo for 2025’s “Wicked Part 2.”
“There are a lot of other costumes and trajectories of how their characters become in the second movie,” he said. “Plus, there are costumes that are just as amazing as the first film.”
While it’s been Grande’s dream to play glinda When she was 10, Tazewell told The Post that the pop star and Erivo never overdid it during the costume creation process.
“Ariana and Cynthia are both huge fashion icons. He likes clothes very much. They always look amazing,” he said. “It was very clear that clothes were going to be very important to them.”
“That said, they didn’t have any preconceived notions about what they were going to wear, which allowed me to present my ideas. and those ideas were first developed John [Chu]So it was clear that I was creating images of these characters that were in line with how he wanted to tell the story. And then as soon as they came in, we sat down and looked at what I had designed and what their emotional arc was and how I envisioned them moving forward over the two films.
He had some suggestions that were in line with his own sensibilities. Talking about Ariana, she always liked to keep her arms and shoulders open. She wanted that kind of vulnerability. And moving the design in a direction that would be better for each actor, it was a very straightforward and very simple process,” Tazewell explained.
Tazewell said that of all his “Rogue” costumes, the two that were the most difficult to create are the ones he is most proud of seeing come to life on the big screen.
“I also love the Emerald City dress for Elphaba and the Bubble dress for Glinda. They are all my children,” he said. “It’s a cliché, but when you get into it, have the idea, you flesh it out, you choose the fabric, you collaborate With tailors, you work with all the people who have a hand in handicrafts and tailoring to make it perfect.”
“And it’s hard to separate yourself from any of those moments. They are all special.”
‘Wicked’ is in theaters now.
