TDF/Irene Sharaff Lifetime Achievement
First presented to the legendary Irene Sharaff in 1993, this award is bestowed upon a costume designer who, over the course of his or her career, has achieved great distinction and whose work embodies those qualities of excellence represented in the lifework of Irene Sharaff: a keen sense of color, a feeling for material and texture, an eye for shape and form, and a sure command of the craft. The designer’s achievement may be in theatre, opera, dance, or film, or, as was true of the work of Ms. Sharaff, for all the performing arts.
TDF/Kitty Leech Young Master Award
This award is presented to an early-career designer whose work has gone beyond mere beginner's promise and has entered a period of fruition. The award is given in recognition of Irene Sharaff’s wish to see young designers encouraged on their way to fully acknowledged success and excellence in the field.
TDF/Irene Sharaff Artisan Award
This award recognizes an individual or company that has made an outstanding supportive contribution in the field of costume technology. Among those honored by this award are assistant and associate costume designers, costume shops that take sketches and turn them into glorious and breathtaking realities, teachers who dedicate their lives to turning raw talent into accomplished designers, and authors who create the texts and trade publications without which designers could not function.
TDF/Irene Sharaff Memorial Tribute
The TDF/Irene Sharaff Memorial Tribute was created to recognize, celebrate, and remember those artists who have pioneered the art of costume design, setting the standard for years to come. TDF believes that in reliving and reviewing the body of work of these artists, a new generation of designers is able to learn and grow.
The Robert L. B. Tobin Award for Lifetime Achievement in Theatrical Design
This award not only honors the name of Robert L. B. Tobin but also commemorates his passion, respect, and esteem for the art of theatrical design. The recipient of this award may be a designer working in any medium who has achieved a career so distinguished that his or her work becomes an example to all of the beauty, feeling and empathy that a designer creates through true mastery of his or her art.
The winners of the five awards are decided upon by the TDF/Irene Sharaff Voting Committee.
TDF/Irene Sharaff Award Past Winners
2022 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: Fred Voelpel
Young Master Award: Dede Ayite
Artisan Award: Michael Curry
The Robert L. B. Tobin Award: Eugene Lee
2019 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: Susan Hilferty2019 Recap: https://vimeo.com/357890262
2019 Rapid Fire: https://vimeo.com/357915828
2018 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: Holly Hynes
Young Master Award: Travis Halsey
Artisan Award: Fritz Masten
Memorial Tribute: Karinska
The Robert L.B. Tobin Award: Zack Brown
2018 Recap: https://vimeo.com/271351068
2017 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: Catherine Zuber
Young Master Award: Paloma Young
Artisan Award: Ernest Smith
Memorial Tribute: Motley
The Robert L.B. Tobin Award: Tony Straiges
2016 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: Susan Tsu
Young Master Award: Suttirat Larlarb
Artisan Award: Liz Covey and Rosemary Ingham
Memorial Tribute: Dorothy Jeakins
The Robert L.B. Tobin Award: Michael Yeargan
2015 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: Jess Goldstein
Young Master Award: Brian Hemesath
Artisan Award: Gino Bifulco – T.O. Dey Shoes
Memorial Tribute: Raoul Pene Du Bois
The Robert L.B. Tobin Award: Douglas W. Schmidt
2014 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: Deborah M. Dryden
Young Master Award: Linda Cho
Artisan Award: Marianne Krostyne
Memorial Tribute: Sam Kirkpatrick
The Robert L.B. Tobin Award: Marjorie Bradley Kellogg
2013 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: David Toser
Young Master Award: Daniel Lawson
Artisan Award: Lawrence Vrba
Memorial Tribute: Martin Pakledinaz
The Robert L.B. Tobin Award: Desmond Heeley
2012 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: Carrie Robbins
Young Master Award: Mathew LeFebvre
Artisan Award: Lynn Pecktal
Memorial Tribute: William and Jean Eckart
The Robert L.B. Tobin Award: Lloyd Burlingame
2011 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: Lewis Brown
Young Master Award: Olivera Gajic
Artisan Award: Michael-Jon Costumes
Memorial Tribute: Charles LeMAire
The Robert L.B. Tobin Award: Robin Wagner
2010 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: Albert Wolsky
Young Master Award: Alejo Vietti
Artisan Award: John David Ridge
Memorial Tribute: Randy Barcelo
The Robert L.B. Tobin Award: Ming Cho Lee
2009 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: William Ivey Long
Young Master Award: Clint Ramos
Artisan Award: Sally Ann Parsons
Memorial Tribute: Irene Sharaff
The Robert L.B. Tobin Award: Bob Crowley
2008 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: Robert Fletcher
Young Master Award: Fabio Toblini
Artisan Award: Bessie Nelson
Memorial Tribute: Tanya Moiseiwitsch
The Robert L.B. Tobin Award: John Conklin
2007 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: Bob Mackie
Young Master Award: Murell Horton
Artisan Award: Kermit Love
Memorial Tribute: Rouben Ter-Arutunian
The Robert L.B. Tobin Award: Santo Loquasto
2006 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement Award: Lester Polakov
Young Master Award: Emilio Sosa
Artisan Award: Martin Izquierdo
Memorial Tribute: Lila De Nobili
The Robert L.B. Tobin Award: Franco Zeffirelli
2005 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement: Florence Klotz
Memorial Tribute: Oliver Messel
Artisan Award: Vincent Zullo
Young Master Award: David Zinn
The Robert L. B. Tobin Award: Robert O’ Hearn
2004 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement: Anthony Powell
Memorial Tribute: Lemuel Ayers
Artisan Award: Nino Novellino
Young Master Award: Mirena Rada
The Robert L. B. Tobin Award: Tony Walton
2003 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement: José Varona
Memorial Tribute: Ruth Morley
Artisan Award: Maria Brizzi/Grace Costumes, Inc.
Young Master Award: Anita Yavich
2002 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement:Theoni V. Aldredge
Memorial Tribute: Cecil Beaton
Artisan Award: Paul Huntley
Young Master Award: Jonathan Bixby & Gregory Gale
2001 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement: Freddy Wittop
Memorial Tribute: Aline Bernstein
Artisan Award: Barbara Matera
Young Master Award: Constance Hoffman
2000 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement: Ann Roth
Memorial Tribute: Lucinda Ballard
Artisan Award: Woody Shelp
Young Master Award: Robert Perdziola
1999 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement: Willa Kim
Memorial Tribute: Raoul Pene du Bois
Artisan Award: Ray Diffen
Young Master Award: Suzy Benzinger
1998 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement: Jane Greenwood
Young Master Award: Martin Pakledinaz
1997 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement: Patricia Zipprodt
Young Master Award: Paul Tazewell
1996 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement: Alvin Colt
Lifetime Achievement: Miles White
Young Master Award: Toni Leslie-James
1994 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement: Desmond Heeley
Young Master Award: Gregg Barnes
1993 Recipients
Lifetime Achievement: Irene Sharaff
About Irene Sharaff: https://vimeo.com/330508619