Black History Month may be over, but that doesn’t stop Black history from being made.

At the 97th Academy Awards Paul Tazewell won Best Costume Design for his work in Wicked— becoming the first Black man to do so and the second Black person after Ruth E. Carter for her work on Black Panther and Wakanda Forever.

Who is Paul Tazewell and where did he come from? Here’s everything you need to know about the Oscar winning costume designer and his work on Wicked.

Born in Akron, Ohio, Tazewell was influenced by his mother, Barbara Tazewell, who was an artist. When Tazewell was just 16 years old, he was offered his first opportunity to design for a musical titled The Wiz. When Tazewell graduated high school he attended Pratt Institute for Fashion Design, transferring a year later to the North Carolina School of the Arts with a degree switch to Costume Design. After receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts, Tazewell continued his education at New York University and got his master’s in costume and set design.

Tazewell’s career began in 1996 with his Broadway debut, Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk. His other notable career highs include The Color Purple, Hamilton (Tony Award-winning), and West Side Story. Tazewell’s career has focused mostly on bringing Black and brown stories to life through clothing. He specializes in referencing periods and bringing a modern feel to it. He took the same approach inWicked. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, Tazewell refers to working on Wicked as “--- a full circle moment. I’m working with the same story, the same characters, different interpretation but 33 years later and here I am.”

Tazwell created over 1,000 costumes for Wicked. Tazewell has shared that he works by fully envisioning Elphaba and Glinda. He wanted to ensure their costumes told the emotional story arc of both characters. For example, as the film progresses, Tazewell highlights that the heel on Elphaba’s boot begins to grow symbolizing her maturity and vulnerability from being with Glinda. Tazewell also explains that Elphaba wears black since she is still mourning her mother.

The inspiration for Glinda comes from Billie Burke’s 1930 version of Glinda. A lot of Glinda’s designs include intricate beading and embroidery paired with silk fabric, giving Glinda a “fairy princess” look. The color palettes used in Wicked are directly inspired by the technicolor used in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz featuring Judy Garland. Another standout were the Shiz University uniforms. We can easily recognize that the uniforms are similar to that of a boarding school, but throughout the film we see that each student wears the uniform differently—bringing individuality to the term “uniform”.

Almost three decades since the beginning of his career, Tazewell’s intention, dedication, and emotional connection to The Wizard of Oz franchise has made him the first Black man to win an Oscar for Costume Design.

“Winning an Oscar for Wicked is the highest point of my life, my North Star. It is my privilege to be the first Black Man to receive an Academy Award for Outstanding Costumes. I have evolved into that inspiring figure that I had been longing to emulate as a developing designer. I receive this beautiful recognition with immense pride and I dedicate it to everyone who has the dream to fly”

• Paul Tazewell via Instagram on March 2, 2025