When it comes to storytelling, what a character wears can speak as loudly as what they say. That’s especially true in Forever, Netflix’s fresh reimagining of Judy Blume’s classic novel, where love, identity, and place are stitched into every thread. Costume designer Tanja Caldwell, the visionary behind the show’s iconic looks, recently shared insights with Black Girl Nerds on designing for the heartfelt coming-of-age series — and how Los Angeles, Black culture, and personal evolution were the anchors in her process.
What was the direction for the costume design in Forever? Any discussion with Mara (or the directors) that influenced the character’s costumes?
During my initial talks with Mara [Brock-Akil] and Regina [King], we all agreed that the characters in Forever had to look and feel authentically Black and from Los Angeles, thus the costumes were a really important part in accomplishing that. When creating Keisha and Justin, every piece of their costumes needed to reflect their individual unique sense of young style, personal identity, as well as where they live.
Justin is the understated LA sneaker-head, skater-boy type — style wise. His artistic, musically-inclined mind paired with a wandering imagination heavily influenced the direction of Justin’s stylish looks. He has a mature quiet confidence that makes him alluring and standout amongst his male peers. He’s navigating life, manhood, and true LOVE for the first time. The complexity and duality of Justin’s character is what made creating costumes for Justin so much fun. His love for music is one of the reasons why I gravitated towards vintage and iconic music-oriented graphic tees, layered with flannel shirts in different fabrics and slightly muted colors, paired with Dickies pants, and Vans or Converse Chuck Taylors (all fashion staples in Los Angeles culture).
Keisha is the LA born-and-raised “girl next door”. She is a timeless beauty with effortless style – sporty, fly, tomboyish, sexy. Throughout the series, we see Keisha blossom into a young woman, discovering who she is and navigating the challenges of life, relationships, and womanhood. I really wanted to show the development of her style, mixing tomboy-sporty with sexy-feminine characteristics. The maturation of Keisha and Justin’s style was important as well — as they evolve and grow, so does the wardrobe gradually. Keisha’s style personally resonates with me. I, too, was very much a tomboy most of my teenage years – heavily influenced by artists like Aaliyah, TLC, Janet Jackson, and the list goes on. I use those influences I had then and I still see young women being influenced by today when creating looks for Keisha – ie. the crop tops paired with baggy pants, oversized jerseys or jackets with cargos or skirts that you’ll see throughout the series. The fashions of the late 1990s and early 2000s have definitely made a return to current fashion, so it was easy to seamlessly weave in that influence here while still keeping the current nuances of current/modern LA fashion.
How did you conceptualize the characters after reading the script?
The overall goal in a series like this is to make the costumes relatable to the characters and thus, the characters relatable to the audience. LA culture is a common thread throughout the series and throughout the cast because that’s where these people and personalities are born and raised. This is a really beautiful story about love and self discovery, and I’m truly grateful to be part of an amazing crew of creatives, led by the powerhouse that is Mara Brock-Akil, tasked with bringing this story to life.
In Forever, fashion isn’t just fabric — it’s identity, memory, and movement. Tanja Caldwell’s costume design does more than dress the characters; it deepens their truth, grounding them in a vibrant, specific world that feels lived-in and real. Through intentional style choices and a deep understanding of culture, place, and character, Caldwell ensures that every scene not only looks good but feels right. Her work reminds us that costume design is storytelling in motion — and in Forever, that story is Black, bold, and beautifully LA.
Forever premieres May 8th on Netflix.
