The Academy Award for Best Costume Design was first given in 1949 for films made in 1948. At the time, two awards were were given to costume designers for achievement in black-and-white films and color films. It wasn’t until 1967 when the categories officially merged.
Notable winners through the years include the late Edith Head, who won a record eight Oscars for Best Costume Design between 1949 and 1973, making her the most awarded woman in the Academy’s history, as well as Milena Canonero and Colleen Atwood, who are the most-honored living designers, winning four Oscars each.
Head designed for Hollywood’s biggest stars throughout her career — most notably Bette Davis, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and many more.
Today, memorable movies that were honored for its costumes include “Black Panther” — where designer Ruth Carter took home the Oscar becoming the first African-American to win an Academy Award in that category — “Cruella,” which won in 2022, as well as “The Great Gatsby” and “Moulin Rouge.”
Keep scrolling to see every Oscar winner for Best Costume through the years.
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2022
“Cruella” with costume design by Jenny Beavan.
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2021
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” with costume design by Ann Roth.
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2020
“Little Women” with costume design by Jacqueline Durran.
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2019
“Black Panther” with costume design by Ruth Carter.
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2018
“Phantom Thread” with costume design by Mark Bridges.
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2017
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” with costume design by Colleen Atwood.
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2016
“Mad Max: Fury Road” with costume design by Jenny Beavan.
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2015
“The Grand Budapest Hotel” with costume design by Milena Canonero.
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2014
“The Great Gatsby” with costume design by Catherine Martin.
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2013
“Anna Karenina” with costume design by Jacqueline Durran.
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2012
“The Artist” with costume design by Mark Bridges.
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2011
“Alice in Wonderland” with costume design by Colleen Atwood.
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2010
“The Young Victoria” with costume design by Sandy Powell.
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2009
“The Duchess” with costume design by Michael O’Connor.
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2008
“Elizabeth: The Golden Age” with costume design by Alexandra Byrne.
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2007
“Marie Antoinette” with costume design by Milena Canonero.
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2006
“Memoirs of a Geisha” with costume design by Colleen Atwood.
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2005
“The Aviator” with costume design by Sandy Powell.
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2004
“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” with costume design by Ngila Dickson and Richard Taylor.
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2003
“Chicago” with costume design by Colleen Atwood.
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2002
“Moulin Rouge!” with costume design by Catherine Martin, Angus Strathie.
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2001
“Gladiator” with costume design by Janty Yates.
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2000
“Topsy-Turvy” with costume design by Lindy Hemming.
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1999
“Shakespeare In Love” with costume design by Sandy Powell.
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1998
“Titanic” with costume design by Deborah L. Scott.
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1997
“The English Patient” with costume design by Ann Roth.
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1996
“Restoration” with costume design by James Acheson.
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1995
“The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” with costume design by Lizzy Gardiner, Tim Chappel.
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1994
“The Age of Innocence” with costume design by Gabriella Pescucci.
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1993
“Bram Stoker’s Dracula” with costume design by Eiko Ishioka.
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1992
“Bugsy” with costume design by Albert Wolsky.
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1991
“Cryano de Bergerac” with costume design by Franca Squarciapino.
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1990
“Henry V” with costume design by Phyllis Dalton.
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1989
“Dangerous Liaisons” with costume design by James Acheson.
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1988
“The Last Emperor” with costume design by James Acheson.
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1987
“A Room With a View” with costume design by Jenny Beavan, John Bright.
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1986
“Ran” with costume design by Emi Wada.
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1985
“Amadeus” with costume design by Theodor Pistek.
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1984
“Fanny and Alexander” with costume design by Marik Vos.
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1983
“Gandhi” with costume design by John Mollo, Bhanu Athaiya.
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1982
“Chariots of Fire” with costume design by Milena Canonero.
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1981
“Tess” with costume design by Anthony Powell.
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1980
“All the Jazz” with costume design by Albert Wolsky.
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1979
“Death On the Nile” with costume design by Anthony Powell.
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1978
“Star Wars” with costume design by John Mollo.
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1977
“Fellini’s Casanova” with costume design by Danilo Donati.
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1976
“Barry Lydon” with costume design by Ulla-Britt Soderlund, Milena Canonero.
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1975
“The Great Gatsby” with costume design Theoni V. Aldredge.
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1974
“The Sting” with costume design by Edith Head.
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1973
“Travels With My Aunt” with costume design by Anthony Powell.
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1972
“Nicholas and Alexandra” with costume design by Yvonne Blake, Antonio Castillo.
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1971
“Cromwell” with costume design by Nino Novarese.
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1970
“Anne of the Thousand Days” with costume design by Margaret Furse.
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1969
“Romeo and Juliet” with costume design by Danilo Donati.
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1968
“Camelot” with costume design by John Truscott.
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1967 (Color)
“A Man For All Seasons” with costume design by Elizabeth Haffenden, Joan Bridge.
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1967 (Black-and-White)
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” with costume design by Irene Sharaff.
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1966 (Color)
“Doctor Zhivago” with costume design by Phyllis Dalton.
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1966 (Black-and-White)
“Darling” with costume design Julie Harris.
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1965 (Color)
“My Fair Lady” with costume design by Cecil Beaton.
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1965 (Black-and-White)
“The Night of the Iguana” with costume design by Dorothy Jeakins.
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1964 (Color)
“Cleopatra” with costume design by Irene Sharaff, Vittorio Nino Novarese, Renie.
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1964 (Black-and-White)
“8 1/2” with costume design by Piero Gherardi.
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1963 (Color)
“The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm” with costume design by Mary Wills.
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1963 (Black-and-White)
“What Ever Happened to Baby Jane” with costume design by Norma Koch.
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1962 (Color)
“West Side Story” with costume design by Irene Sharaff.
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1962 (Black-and-White)
“La Dolce Vita” with costume design by Piero Gherardi.
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1961 (Color)
“Spartacus” with costume design by Valles, Bill Thomas.
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1961 (Black-and-White)
“The Facts of Life” with costume design by Edith Head, Edward Stevenson.
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1960 (Color)
“Ben-Hur” with costume design by Elizabeth Haffenden.
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1960 (Black-and-White)
“Some Like It Hot” with costume design by Orry-Kelly.
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1959
“Gigi” with costume design by Cecil Beaton.
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1958
“Les Girls” with costume design by Orry-Kelly.
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1957 (Color)
“The King and I” with costume design by Irene Sharaff.
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1957 (Black-and-White)
“The Solid Gold Cadillac” with costume design by Jean Louis.
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1956 (Color)
“Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing” with costume design by Charles LeMaire.
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1956 (Black-and-White)
“I’ll Cry Tomorrow” with costume design by Helen Rose.
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1955 (Color)
“Gate of Hell” with costume design by Sanzo Wada.
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1955 (Black-and-White)
“Sabrina” with costume design by Edith Head.
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1954 (Color)
“The Robe” with costume design by Charles LeMaire, Emile Santiago.
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1954 (Black-and-White)
“Roman Holiday” with costume design by Louis Vuitton Reunites With Yayoi Kusama — Here’s How You Can Get the New Collab
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1953 (Color)
“Moulin Rouge” with costume design by Helen Rose.
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1953 (Black-and-White)
“The Bad and the Beautiful” with costume design by Helen Rose.
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1952 (Color)
“An American in Paris” with costume design by Orry-Kelly, Walter Plunkett, Irene Sharaff.
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1952 (Black-and-White)
“A Place in the Sun” with costume design by Edith Head.
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1951 (Color)
“Samson and Delilah” with costume design by Edith Head, Dorothy Jeakins, Elois Jenssen, Gile Steele, Gwen Wakeling.
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1951 (Black-and-White)
“All About Eve” with costume design by Edith Head, Charles LeMaire.
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1950 (Color)
“Adventures of Don Juan” with costume design by Leah Rhodes, Travilla, Marjorie Best.
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1950 (Black-and-White)
“The Heiress” with costume design by Edith Head, Gile Steele
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1949 (Color)
“Joan of Arc” with costume design by Dorothy Jeakins, Karinska.
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1949 (Black-and-White)
“Hamlet” with costume design by Roger K. Furse