Cole Escola's 2025 Tony Awards Gown Pays Homage to Bernadette Peters' Iconic 1999 Look

Published: June 9, 2025

Cole Escola stunned on the red carpet at the 2025 Tony Awards in a show-stopping "Cinderella blue" gown inspired by Bernadette Peters' iconic look from the 1999 ceremony. Escola, nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a play for their work in Oh, Mary!, also sported a curly reddish-brown wig as a nod to Peters' signature style.

Escola's Custom Wiederhoeft Creation

Escola's custom Wiederhoeft creation features a lace-up corset in pale blue taffeta with draping at the chest and hips and hand-embroidered metallic blue glass beads. The skirt, embroidered in the same glass beads, has an ornamental door motif cascading down the entire front in silver glass beads, faceted crystals and tarnished metal sequins, which is "a nod to Bernadette's medals and the significance of the passage of time."

The skirt's voluminous train is made of light blue taffeta.

Cole Escola at the 2025 Tony Awards.

A Nod to Bernadette Peters

"Initially speaking about this look with David and Cole, we were really inspired by Bernadette Peters' look from the 1999 Tony Awards," Jackson Wiederhoeft shared via press release. "We were all obsessed with the color and the medals on the front, a sense of fake naivety."

The designer continued, "We found ourselves inspired by additional themes of faded crypticism, false innocence, fightfulness, womanly age-hold historically feminine garments, queenly status and ancient doors."

Oh, Mary! and the 2025 Tony Awards

Escola is nominated for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a play for their work in Oh, Mary!, the hit Broadway comedy of which Escola is also the playwright. Cynthia Erivo will host the awards ceremony.

Escola returned to the role of Mary Todd on Tuesday, April 8, alongside original cast members Conrad Ricamora and James Scully.

Cole Escola in Oh, Mary!.

For more Tony Awards coverage, check out our Best Dressed Stars on the 2025 Tony Awards Red Carpet and our Live Updates of the 2025 Tony Awards Winners.

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