Donning a shimmering lilac gown she designed herself, Qween Jean accepted the 2026 Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Musical for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.” With the win on June 7, Jean became the first openly transgender designer to win a Tony Award. She is also the first Black woman to win in this category.
When Jean got to the microphone on the stage of Radio City Music Hall to accept her trophy, her first words were “Happy Pride!,” nodding to the fact that the month of June is Pride Month — an annual, month-long celebration of LGBTQIA+ culture, history and rights.
Jean made her Broadway debut designing the costumes for “Liberation,” for which she was nominated for Best Costume Design of a Play. In addition to designing her own Tonys gown, Broadway News learned during our red carpet livestream that Jean designed the silver Tonys gown worn by “Liberation” director Whitney White.
Earlier this season, Jean earned Drama Desk nominations for her design of both shows and won the Drama Desk for her “Cats” creations. Jean has been designing costumes for Off-Broadway shows, earning Drama Desk nominations for “Saturday Church,” “Oh Happy Day!,” “Wedding Band” and “On Sugarland.” She has also design for Off-Broadway’s “Our Dear Dead Drug Lord,” “One in Two,” “Siblings Play,” “Amen Corner,” “Rags Parkland,” “Good Grief,” “Othello,” “Wig Out!,” “Playboy of the West Indies,” “A Doll’s House” and “What to Send Up, When it Goes Down.”
Jean is a native of South Florida and began her theater career at Florida School of the Arts. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business communications at the University of North Carolina and one in costume studies at Greensboro College. She has an MFA in design from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.
See what other milestones could be hit tonight, at the 79th annual Tony Awards.
