The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry recently unveiled their latest exhibit, featuring American costume designer, Paul Tazewell, and the costumes he’s made for various movies and broadway shows.
Titled “Crafting Character: The Costumes of Paul Tazewell,” the exhibit explores Tazewell’s journey into costume designing and the relationship between fashion and costume in his work.
“They provoke a question, where does fashion end and costume begin?” Tazewell said in a prerecorded video featured at the exhibition’s entrance.
That question is introduced through a display of tuxedos worn by American singer-songwriter and rapper Janelle Monáe at the 2025 Met Gala, made in collaboration with designer Thom Browne.
Portraits of Tazewell and images from his career accompany a video in which he describes his creative process and how costumes must communicate character.
“History stitched into a hemlock. Resistance in the twirl of a skirt,” he said in the video.
The exhibit also traces Tazewell’s artistic origins, highlighting his early experiences creating marionettes with his mother and later working in oil painting. Archival images, marionettes and paintings emphasize how those foundations informed his understanding of form, texture and movement.
Costumes from the Broadway musical “Hamilton,” and the films “West Side Story” and “Harriet” show how Tazewell uses clothing to define their characters by using color and silhouettes. Mannequins display garments from each production alongside projected footage showing the costumes in motion on stage and screen.
Visitor Makayla Perez, from Des Plaines, said the exhibit changed how she thinks about costume design in musical theater.
“I thought it was really cool to see his thought process behind ‘Hamilton’ and just about the clothing in general,” Perez said. “I feel like it’s not talked about as much as the actual musical itself.”
One of the rooms was entirely dedicated to the film adaptation of “Wicked.” Glinda’s pink gown and Elphaba’s black dress were elevated among the rest of the costumes. Tazewell in the VO described how class was shown through the costume designs of the characters in Oz, such as with Glinda.
“Glinda arrives, floating above, and her gown mirrors that moment,” Tazewell said. “It captures her lightness and privilege, affirming her place in a world that celebrates her.”
Vinnie Perez, who attended the exhibit with Makayla, said he was particularly drawn to the “Wicked” section.
“He mentioned how the costume specifically makes, for example, Glinda look so much more powerful, and especially due to her personality, it fits her,” he said.
Nicole Cwiklinski said she found the whole exhibit to be inspiring.
“You can very clearly see that there’s a lot of creativity and inspiration in all of the art that he did,” Cwiklinski said.
The exhibit runs through Sept. 7 at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
Copy edited by Katie Peters
