Why Wicked: For Good Redesigned Glinda’s Iconic Pink Look, According to Oscar-Winning Costume Designer Paul Tazewell

Key Points

• Oscar-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell returns for Wicked: For Good, reshaping key looks for Glinda and Elphaba.
• Elphaba’s wardrobe evolves with a darker, more powerful silhouette reflecting her exile and rising strength.
• Glinda’s signature pink is replaced with lavender-blue iridescence in a pivotal scene to honor the Broadway original.
• Ariana Grande collaborated closely with Tazewell on Glinda’s emotional wedding gown.
• Fiyero’s costume transforms dramatically as he becomes the Scarecrow.

A New Chapter in Oz Brings New Costumes

Fresh off becoming the first Black man to win an Oscar for costume design, Paul Tazewell is once again shaping the visual identity of Oz in Wicked: For Good. The sequel continues Elphaba’s (Cynthia Erivo) journey to expose the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) and reclaim justice for the oppressed, and Tazewell’s costumes play a central role in that storytelling.

“To see how my work has touched audiences’ hearts… it’s life-changing,” Tazewell told The Hollywood Reporter, reflecting on his expanding contribution to the Wizard of Oz legacy.

Elphaba’s Evolving Power Silhouette

Tazewell opens the sequel with a bold new look for Elphaba — a structured coat, trousers, and what he calls “kick‑ass boots.”

Her cape, he explains, is meant to be the same one she leapt from the window with in the first film, but now aged and expanded.

“It’s grown. It’s more dramatic. It shows wear and tear because she’s been living in exile in the forest,” he says.

Her iconic hat has also been enlarged to more closely resemble the Wicked Witch of the West’s silhouette from the 1939 film. Combined with her broom, the accessories become “defining elements to her superhero persona.”

Why Glinda’s Dress Isn’t Pink This Time

Glinda (Ariana Grande) is known for her pink gowns — but in For Good, her first major dress breaks tradition.

Tazewell estimates seven pink dresses were created per film, but he intentionally avoided the color for the scene where Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) gifts Glinda her bubble.

“I didn’t want to use pink because we already had a pink dress at the beginning,” he explains. Instead, he chose lavender and blue iridescence, echoing Glinda’s original Broadway costume.

The design also reflects Glinda’s emotional evolution.

“She’s still a more old-fashioned, less evolved Glinda here — a step toward the big pink bubble dress, which is when she’s at her most powerful.”

Ariana Grande Helped Shape Glinda’s Wedding Gown

One of the film’s most striking costumes is Glinda’s wedding dress, created for the moment she tells Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) they are to marry.

“That was a collaboration with Ariana,” Tazewell says. “We talked about where Glinda would be emotionally.”

The final gown is intentionally simplified, with bare shoulders and arms to convey vulnerability. The overdress is crafted from silk organza and tulle, adorned with spiraling butterflies that continue down a 25‑meter veil.

Animated gold butterflies float around her as she walks.

“It’s a very magical moment,” Tazewell says.

Transforming Fiyero Into the Scarecrow

When Elphaba casts a protection spell on Fiyero, his ornate military uniform undergoes a dramatic shift.

“What is heroic wool and gold braid turns into sackcloth,” Tazewell explains. “The gold braid becomes straw embroidery.”

The original design drew inspiration from 15th- and 16th‑century Hungarian hussar cavalry uniforms, making the transformation even more visually striking.

What Happens Next?

As Wicked: For Good prepares to expand the cinematic Oz universe, Tazewell’s costumes continue to redefine the mythology for a new generation. His goal remains clear: to make Oz feel “as original as possible — like a world we’ve never seen before.”

Fans can expect even more intricate design reveals as the film’s marketing rollout continues.