The 27th Costume Designers Guild Awards celebrated the best in film, television, and short-form costume design on Thursday evening, with Paul Tazewell’s dazzling work on Wicked and Lisy Christl’s meticulous designs for Conclave emerging as the night’s biggest winners.
This marks the second win for Tazewell, who previously took home the prize in 2021 for Hamilton in the variety, reality competition, or live television category. Now, with Wicked, he cements his status as the front-runner for this year’s Best Costume Design Oscar. If he wins, Tazewell will make history as the first Black man to claim an Academy Award for costume design.
In the excellence in the contemporary film category, Lisy Christl’s striking work on Conclave took home the top honor, standing out among films like Challengers and The Fall Guy. Meanwhile, Linda Muir’s haunting period costumes for Nosferatu won excellence in period film, showcasing her talent for crafting gothic, atmospheric designs.
A Night of Celebration and Solidarity
Hosted by Jackie Tohn, the event was not only a celebration of costume design but also a testament to industry resilience. The Costume Designers Guild (CDG) announced a new initiative: an auction featuring costumes from major productions like House of the Dragon and Wicked to support the IATSE Emergency Relief Fund.
Guild Executive Director Brigitta Romanov highlighted the power of unity, saying, “When challenges arise, we do not stand alone. We stand together.” She commended the industry’s collective efforts during crises, from wildfires to last year’s historic Hollywood strikes.
Guild President Terry Ann Gordon echoed those sentiments, adding, “Resilience, fortitude, and solidarity are hallmarks of our community.”
Honoring Iconic Figures in Costume and Performance
The night also celebrated the contributions of legendary performers:
- Janelle Monáe, recipient of the Vanguard Spotlight Award, delivered an impassioned speech honoring the unsung heroes behind the scenes: “Our world would crumble without the laborers who spend hours, days, and weeks making costumes for us.”
- Zoe Saldaña, honored with the Spotlight Award, expressed deep appreciation for costume designers, saying, “I’m not a trained actor; I rely on the work you all do. I’m the granddaughter and daughter of seamstresses—costume design is in my DNA.”
Complete List of Winners
Excellence in Contemporary Film
🏆 Conclave – Lisy Christl, CDG
- Challengers – Jonathan Anderson
- Emilia Pérez – Virginie Montel
- The Fall Guy – Sarah Evelyn, CDG
- The Substance – Emmanuelle Youchnovski
Excellence in Period Film
🏆 Nosferatu – Linda Muir
- The Book of Clarence – Antoinette Messam, CDG
- Gladiator II – Janty Yates, CDG & Dave Crossman
- Maria – Massimo Cantini Parrini
- Saturday Night – Danny Glicker, CDG
Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film
🏆 Wicked – Paul Tazewell, CDG
- Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice – Colleen Atwood, CDG
- Borderlands – Daniel Orlandi, CDG
- Dune: Part Two – Jacqueline West, CDG
- Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – Jenny Beavan, CDG
Excellence in Contemporary Television
🏆 Hacks: Just for Laughs – Kathleen Felix-Hager, CDG
- Agatha All Along: Seekest Thou the Road – Daniel Selon, CDG
- Baby Reindeer: Episode 4 – Mekel Bailey
- Emily in Paris: The Grey Area – Marylin Fitoussi
- The Gentlemen: Refined Aggression – Loulou Bontemps
Excellence in Period Television
🏆 Shōgun: Ladies of the Willow World – Carlos Rosario, CDG
- Bridgerton: Romancing Mister Bridgerton – John Glaser
- Feud: Capote vs. The Swans – Lou Eyrich, CDG & Rudy Mance, CDG
- Palm Royal: Maxine Throws a Party – Alix Friedberg, CDG & Leigh Bell, CDG
- Ripley: IV La Dolce Vita – Maurizio Millenotti & Gianni Casalnuovo
Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Television
🏆 Dune: Prophecy: The Hidden Hand – Bojana Nikitovic
- Agatha All Along: If I Can’t Reach You/Let My Song Teach You – Daniel Selon, CDG
- Fallout: The Target – Amy Westcott, CDG
- House of the Dragon: The Red Dragon and the Gold – Caroline McCall
- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Doomed to Die – Luca Mosca, CDG & Katherine Burchill & Libby Dempster
Excellence in Variety, Reality-Competition, or Live Television
🏆 The Masked Singer: Who Can it Be Now? – Steven Norman Lee, CDG & Luke D’Alessandro, CDG
- The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula: Killer Dolls – Gioffrè Vincenzo
- Dancing with the Stars: Soul Train Night – Steven Norman Lee, CDG & Daniela Gschwendtner, CDG
- Saturday Night Live: Ariana Grande Host – Tom Broeker, CDG & Ashley Dudek & Cristina Natividad
- We’re Here: Oklahoma, Part 3 – Diego Montoya & Marco Morante; Derek Anthony Purcell & Amber Watkins
Excellence in Short Form Design
🏆 Can’t B Broken: Beyoncé: Verizon – Shiona Turini, CDG
- Chapter 1: “Launderette” reimagined with Beyoncé: Levis – Shiona Turini, CDG
- Dandyland: 102 – Rafaella Rabinovich
- Tick Tick Tick – Samantha Kuester, CDG
- Volkswagen: An American Love Story – Jenny Eagan, CDG
Excellence in Costume Illustration
🏆 Shōgun – James Holland, CDG Illustrator
- Agatha All Along – Imogene Chayes, CDG Illustrator
- Joker: Folie à Deux – Edwardo Lucero, CDG Illustrator
- The Masked Singer – Barbra Araujo, CDG Illustrator
The Costume Designers Guild Awards once again highlighted the artistry behind some of the year’s most visually stunning productions. With Wicked and Conclave taking top honors, the event solidified the impact of costume design in shaping cinematic and television storytelling.
As Paul Tazewell and Lisy Christl celebrate their wins, all eyes now turn toward the Academy Awards, where Tazewell may just make history.
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