The costumes from the movie are on display at the Arlington Museum of Art.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The costumes featured in the blockbuster “Wicked” just earned costume designer Paul Tazewell an Oscar, and the products of his hard work are on display right here in North Texas.
Fans can view the authentic wardrobe pieces from the movie that earned a total of 10 Academy Award nominations at the Arlington Museum of Art.
The exhibition currently on display features Glinda’s iconic bubble gown worn by Ariana Grande, Elphaba’s Defying Gravity dress as worn by Cynthia Erivo and costumes for several supporting characters including Boq, Prince Fiyero, NessaRose and the Wizomania narrator.
“It blows my mind they’re even here, because Arlington, Texas?” one visitor named Jenna, who attended with her aunt Amy, said. “How did we get so lucky?”
Kendall Quirk, director of exhibitions at the museum, secured the costume display by directly contacting Universal Pictures. She reached out to Universal on a limb and asked if Arlington could have the iconic costumes once the movie premiered.
“And they very kindly said yes,” Quirk said.
The studio agreed to loan the costumes for four months, allowing visitors to examine intricate details that might go unnoticed on screen.
“There are so many beautiful elements to this,” Quirk said, pointing out features like “beautiful purple pleating” and various design elements that contribute to the costumes’ authenticity.
The exhibition has attracted visitors from throughout the region, including Houston and Austin, according to museum staff.
Diamond Prince, who saw “Wicked” on Broadway as a child, said viewing the costumes in person was overwhelming.
“I’ve been waiting for years. This was a long time coming,” Prince said. “Being a person of color, I kind of get that, being judged by the color of your skin. It resonates with me.”
For Prince, being close to these tangible pieces of movie magic has been transformative.
“I’m just happy to be here to breathe the air,” she said.
