Dede Ayite became the first Black woman to win a Tony for best costume design of a play at the 2024 Tony Awards.
Ayite was nominated for several shows, but her work on the now-closed Jaja’s African Hair Braiding brought her the win.
Opening in October 2023 and running through the following month, the show takes place in a busy Harlem salon where West African immigrant hair braiders facing uncertain circumstances, create masterpiece hairstyles for local women.
Ayite was previously nominated in the same category for her work on Appropriate and in the best costume design in a musical category for Hell’s Kitchen.
She thanked her collaborators and family during her acceptance speech. Her brother, who was cheering her on from Ghana, was also present.
Related stories
Dede Ayite also expressed her gratitude to Bioh, “who wrote such a beautiful piece,” and the outfit designers and retailers, stating of the latter, “Without them, I would not be here, and the show would not look as amazing as it does.”
Ayite expressed her amazement at her historic victory in the Tony Awards pressroom, describing it as “huge.”
“I only hope that at this point someone will tell someone like me who is just starting out, uncertain, scared, and unsure of what it will take to move forward. You never know where to start or how to discover that first step. You understand that when you share the stories that are important to you and that you think have merit, the time will come. That’s what I’m experiencing at the moment.”
“It’s not just about me, but we did it: the community of people who love me every day and encourage me,” she continued. I simply feel like, at this moment, it’s not about me. It’s the community. We accomplished it as a team.“