Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images “We built a lot. Part of it is for accuracy. She only used a stunt double once.”, Tazewell cites Harriet’s bandit looks as his favorite designs. are just a few of the shows that Paul Tazewell has created costumes for. Harriet had two different looks when she goes on her missions to free the enslaved. In “Harriet,” we see iconic abolitionist Harriet Tubman like we have never seen her before. He’s been honored with seven Tony nominations, winning in 2016 for Hamilton. Everything that she stood for changed my life, as well as the lives of so many others.”. After graduating high school, he initially attended Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY to study fashion design. She was really quite amazing. The actress believes Tazewell’s costumes helped her connect with Harriet. She’s able to weave through the woods and the river. They could have purchased the fabric from a neighboring plantation. Synthetic fabrics were banned from the set. “I was delighted,” says Tazewell when director Kasi Lemmons, who co-wrote the script with Gregory Allen Howard, approached him to design the costumes for Harriet. They would use blue or some significant color that would hold the plantation together within the same fabric world. Official Trailer For Harriet! To showcase Harriet's strength of character, as well the changing world in which she lived, Lemmons reached out to costume designer Paul Tazewell. Plantations were growing cotton. 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He strove to ensure that every costume design, in some way, helped advance the story. Paul Tazewell’s unique costumes for Tubman are surprisingly androgynous; she wears a sailor’s outfit, a top hat and blazer, and ten-gallon hats.Soon, she becomes mythologized—Southern whites fear her as "Moses." What became very important, and this came from Kasi (Lemmons) was she wanted to render Harriet as a superhero. “I hope that I was able to visually create a world that was inviting, but acknowledges the fissures of Harriet’s life… the full hardship, and then also the heroic,” says Tazewell. It becomes more poetic and emotional. As a partner in Never Dull Productions (neverdullproductions.com), he has produced and directed the documentary Sled Shots about the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey team and written video scripts for numerous organizations and clients that include The United Nations, Beyond Meat, Spotify and Causes.com. Cynthia was a trooper. For more of our Harriet coverage, check out our interview with editor Wyatt Smith. “You will follow me,” she says. Harriet is a 2019 American biographical film directed by Kasi Lemmons, who also wrote the screenplay with Gregory Allen Howard.It stars Cynthia Erivo as abolitionist Harriet Tubman, with Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn, and Janelle Monáe in supporting roles.. A biography about Harriet Tubman had been in the works for years, with several actresses, including Viola Davis, rumored to star. Now, Tazewell is setting his sights on the film world. That’s where we started. “If you’re dealing with an actual person who lived and breathed, it’s very important to create a world that is believable,” says Tazewell. From ‘Hamilton’ to ‘Harriet’: Costume designer Paul Tazewell’s creations come to High Point The sheen of the green satin ensemble reflects light under the gallery’s bulbs, quietly drawing attention to itself. Chris Koseluk has written for the entertainment industry for publications such as The Hollywood Reporter, Make-up Artist Magazine, Mental Floss, Video Business Magazine, Variety and Premiere. And he’s doing it in an epic way with Harriet, the sweeping saga of Harriet Tubman, the legendary 19th-century enslaved-person-turned-abolitionist who, after escaping to freedom, orchestrated the rescue of hundreds of fellow enslaved people. I chose linen because it would show the wrinkles and holds wrinkles very well. When Harriet flees to Philadelphia and begins her life as a free woman, she enters a world of sophisticated fashion, reflected in the suits of William Still (Leslie Odom Jr.), who acclimates Harriet into her new life, and the elegant dresses of Marie Buchanon (Janelle Monáe), a leading black business owner who takes Harriet under her wing. As the film opens, Harriet, played by Cynthia Erivo, is still enslaved. “I wanted to show how we come to know her and then go beyond that. We know she’s a heroine, an abolitionist who led slaves to their freedom via … Here, the costumes, hair, and makeup designers from "Harriet… “I imagine the master…the owner wanted to document how many slaves he actually had — whether for a measure of wealth or power,” he says. He was pleasantly surprised by how much material there was online. Paul Tazewell and Jennifer Nettles attend the "Harriet" New York Screening at The Roxy Hotel on October 24, 2019 in New York City. Tubman, who lived from 1820 to 1913, was born right after the invention of the camera. Some of that was because we needed to have the amount of yardage that we were able to get because there were so many duplicates of that dress. Ain’t Too Proud…all the Broadway musicals are custom-made. The panel talked about the long road bringing the film to the screen, and, of course, how it was costumed by Tazewell. Harriet stars Cynthia Erivo in the title role and features Leslie Odom Jr. and Janelle Monáe. I think the film does that and I hope that my work does that as well.”. Each was designed to look slightly more worn and tattered to show the effect the arduous journey had on her clothing. After looking at the daguerreotypes of the neutral tone, some had been tinted after they had been taken. The hat is broad-rimmed. With the film, we’re trying to crack that open and give her a more in-depth feel. In “Harriet,” her athleticism gives weight to the scenes in which she and those she shepherds evade slave catchers.) I really love what’s on the poster, it’s what we call her “bandit” look. Fortunately, Tazewell had an advantage to keeping it real. The Library of Congress’ Prints and Photographs collection, in particular, yielded a wealth of information — most notably, photos of the plantations featuring group shots of the enslaved. For many, Harriet Tubman’s journey is one we’re taught about in school. When you put it together, it looks really powerful and stylish. “We needed a backup if anything were to happen to one. Paul Tazewell is a Tony and Emmy Award winning costume designer whose most recent work is featured in the film “Harriet” about Harriet Tubman, the … “They establish her as this impactive, powerful woman fully embracing her heroic, ethnic persona.”, Erivo couldn’t agree more. It’s only taken us until now to have a film about Tubman. Since the film is still in theaters in the U.S., I can’t get many photos, but costume designer Paul Tazewell has been doing the media rounds and shared plenty of details about his fine work. To the layperson, the getup looks like nothing more than a … In ‘Harriet,’ Paul Tazewell Dressed Cynthia Erivo as a Superhero The costume designer used a newly found photograph of Harriet Tubman as inspiration for the looks in the new Kasi Lemmons movie. How would she move in this? We know she’s a heroine, an abolitionist who led slaves to their freedom via the underground railroad. With the green dress, we tried to establish this growth and it’s also connected to the forest and nature. We’re also embracing her as a mythic figure and a powerful woman. It was original research from the period. It turned out that most of Harriet’s outfits also needed this durability. She’s a woman who is pulling elements that are both female and male and suitable for doing the deed at hand. Tazewell felt that the outfits Harriet wears on her quest to free more enslaved people should suggest the stealth nature of her work. Paul Tazewell said he took inspiration from daguerreotypes from the 1800s for lead actress Cynthia Erivo’s custom made period costumes for the biopic “Harriet,” but also wanted the clothes to convey her superhero status in both American history and the Black Experience. Having worked in theater for over twenty-five years, Tazewell received a Tony® award in 2016 for bringing to life another historical period in Hamilton. It’s this pastiche of clothing pieces that all put together makes her into this bad-ass woman.”. It was chosen because it resonated with all of the elements; the superhero quality and the fact that she is at her power peak. But it is also for function and wear and tear. Mostly, it was portraiture of many different economic different levels and races. My intent was to render a character of note. I chose a fabric that would read distress and show what her daily life was. She’s able to confront her nemesis — the grand antagonist of her life. The same is true for the photographs; it’s a very limited view of who this woman was. “The eyes in those faces and the humanity that resonates out of them, I think that’s where I get my inspiration because my work is based in character, developing different types of characters and making those feel as real as possible.”. His work can be seen in Kasi Lemmons’ Harriet, the story of slave turned heroine Harriet Tubman. The fabrics I chose were about function. From there, he built the costumes around the narrative arc as Harriet Tubman goes from slave to Union Army officer. For many, Harriet Tubman’s journey is one we’re taught about in school. Speaking were film producer Debra Martin Chase, Vanessa Bell Calloway—the actress who played Harriet Tubman’s mother, and Paul Tazewell, the film’s costume designer. Featured image: Cynthia Erivo stars as Harriet Tubman in HARRIET, a Focus Features release. How would she feel in this?’” she says. If Paul Tazewell wasn't a … For the last two decades, costume designer Paul Tazewell has been conquering Broadway. Every time you put something new on, it’s like, ‘Oh, this is a different part of her. Paul Gregory Tazewell was born and raised in Akron, OH. After consuming the script, it became evident to Tazewell just how extensive the wardrobe requirements would be. We start with that with a red headwrap and that pop of color. Keep up with The Credits for the latest in film, television and more. Paul Tazewell, the great Broadway costume designer, designed the wardrobe for this powerful film. All rights reserved. In this Framing the Scene,  Tazewell breaks down key looks of Harriet’s journey. The Wiz, Hamilton and Jesus Christ Superstar Live! Credit: Glen Wilson / Focus Features. The first time we see her running through the forest, there’s this great connection to the environment that she’s in and that she’s making her way through. With the original look, it’s how I always begin a design, I immersed myself with research. At the time, that had just become very popular — documenting the slaves on plantations and life on plantations. Costume designer Paul Tazewell talks about his work transforming the actress into freedom fighter Harriet Tubman, with outfits ranging from a blue Union Army uniform to … Then she recreates herself as this superhuman woman. I knew about Harriet Tubman in Junior High, but we didn’t pick her life apart and what it took for her to do what she did. Six versions of a green jacket outfit and four of an alternating red costume were created for these scenes. “The daguerreotypes of the period are quite amazing,” he says. He describes it as her “bandit look.” Period costumes for the supporting cast and extras were rented, whenever possible, but the wardrobes of all the main characters were designed from scratch. What I was finding were daguerreotypes of the period. We didn’t receive the whole story. The Emmy and Tony winner also shares how he created storytelling costumes for powerhouse Cynthia Erivo in the Harriet Tubman biopic. Bridging the Gap: A look into African American Hair & Makeup for Theatre Making sure the costumes were as authentic as possible was priority number one. You had these strong dyes and very strong moments of color, in amongst a field of neutrals. The plantation where Harriet was owned wasn’t big enough for them to have that manufacturing system. Paul Tazewell has over twenty-seven years of design experience. The film’s color scheme is also noteworthy. All those things together, she would have been able to find. Art Director Daniel Lopez Muñoz on Finding Pixar’s “Soul”, Best of 2020: The High Note Director Nisha Ganatra on the Importance of a Diverse Cast & Crew, The Sustainable Production Alliance: Celebrating the Green Production Guide’s 10-Year Anniversary. Unless you’ve read the books by Kate Clifford Larson or Beverly Lowry, “We didn’t receive the whole story,” says costume designer Paul Tazewell. In ‘Harriet,’ Paul Tazewell Dressed Cynthia Erivo as a Superhero The costume designer used a newly found photograph of Harriet Tubman as inspiration for the looks in … In the film, Tazewell created the look based on historic daguerreotype photos he found. Paul Tazewell is no stranger to historical period pieces, having won a Tony for his costumes in “Hamilton.” When he joined “Harriet,” he buried himself in research of a bygone era when photography was in its nascent years and ended up finding a recently unearthed new photo of Harriet Tubman. We had to do a lot for Harriet because she was so physical and had to do so many physical feats, like running through mud, crossing rivers,” explains Tazewell. Tazewell has done opera and also worked on television shows. Paul Tazewell is no stranger to historical period pieces, having won a Tony for his costumes in “Hamilton.” When he joined “ Harriet,” he buried himself in … “She has nothing, and she goes through a huge journey and her clothing breaks down completely, almost to the point that it’s falling off. 11/2/2019 12:18:00 AM He has designed extensively in the United States and internationally for theatre, dance and opera. It was a linen fabric that had the stripe going through it. We built about 12 dresses, and we had it at different levels so we could tell the story of her escaping and going through everything that she went through. The clothes have to be built to stand that activewear.”. Before that, it’s really her power costume. © Copyright 2021 Variety Media, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC. Costume designer Paul Tazewell won a Tony Award for dressing Alexander Hamilton and his fellow Founding Fathers in their 18th-century garbs … To stay up to date with the Motion Picture Association, please sign up for our newsletter. Harriet hits theaters on November 1, 2019. Until now. Household heads and slave owners Gideon Brodess (Joe Alwyn) and his mother Eliza (Jennifer Nettles) needed looks that showed their stature but still suggested their rustic, rural lifestyle. Tazewell used a number of resources. His eclectic range of work spans from revivals of such classics as A Streetcar Named Desire, Jesus Christ Superstar, A Raisin in the Sun and Guys and Dolls to newer hits like The Color Purple, In the Heights, Memphis and Ain’t Too Proud. They were sewing their own clothes. Vanessa Kirby & Ellen Burstyn on Their Poignant New Film “Pieces of a Woman”, Screenwriter Kata Wéber on Grief and Healing in “Pieces of a Woman”. It starts to build to the red coat and dress that we see her in towards the end. The coat is an olive-brown. Framing The Scene: Crafting The Costumes For. Tazewell’s work is on stage and the screen, including this year’s feature film Harriet. That way, you could identify that the slave was from that plantation if they ended up running away. They were all period pieces. Unless you’ve read the books by Kate Clifford Larson or Beverly Lowry, “We didn’t receive the whole story,” says costume designer Paul Tazewell. The last thing we see her in is in the uniform when she was an officer with the Union Army. “Harriet was one of the most extensive, lengthy trips that I have done,” says Tazewell, “Having worked on Broadway and on different period productions, I’m used to building them. I made the decision that’s really how we should represent Harriet that we have this very neutral world, and as we move through, the other characters, we should show her in this blue tone. While we’re doing that, we’re trying to imbue it with the poetry for an audience. Director of Photography John Toll and Costume Designer Paul Tazewell shoot and costume the film in various shades of blue. Semi-Finalists: Mark Bridges for Joker, Paul Tazewell for Harriet, Deborah Cook for Missing Link, Colleen Atwood for Bombshell, and April Napier … When Tazewell turned his attention to television, the costume designer won an Emmy in 2016 for The Wiz Live! Speaking were film producer Debra Martin Chase, Vanessa Bell Calloway—the actress who played Harriet Tubman’s mother, and Paul Tazewell, the film’s costume designer. It goes back to that idea of neutral with pops of color. “To be given the opportunity to tell Harriet Tubman’s story is a huge honor. Paul most recently designed Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” (20th Century Fox/Amblin Entertainment) and “Harriet” (Focus Features). The pattern and that ticking stripe were informed by the possibility that this was a fabric that came from another plantation. If you are a California resident, California law may consider certain disclosures of data a “sale” of your personal information (such as cookies that help Motion Picture Association later serve you ads, like we discuss in our, Chris Koseluk has written for the entertainment industry for publications such as. That’s thanks to Cynthia Erivo, who plays her—but it’s also thanks to Paul Tazewell, who dressed her. Tazewell insisted on only using natural materials from the time period — linen, cotton, wool, silk, and velvet. It’s the pinnacle of her realizing herself, having gone through a period of being a shapeshifter and master of disguise. For many, Harriet Tubman’s journey is one we’re taught about in school. The slaves were picking the cotton, spinning it and weaving it. Everything for Hamilton was custom-made. “I loved that with every new costume comes this extra part of her that you wouldn’t see unless she was in the clothing. She has on knee-high boots, a sturdy skirt, a blouse and a man’s coat. Tazewell made duplicates of the dress she wears when she makes her escape. The cliche of masculinity and strength—slave owners initially assume her identity to be a man, isn’t massaged extensively here. Her costumes, and those of her fellow enslaved, were kept simple and basic. Viscerally, it felt right for the period and how I saw Harriet. His sights on the film, Tazewell created the look based on historic daguerreotype photos he.. The forest and nature way, helped advance the story of slave turned heroine Harriet Tubman ’ s to... As well. ” an Emmy in 2016 for the photographs ; it ’ s a heroine, abolitionist. Harriet ’ s story is a huge honor red headwrap and that ticking stripe were informed the... 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