This chic ‘Wicked’ collection arrives today and Ariana Grande approves

“Pink goes with green” – is a phrase Glinda says to Elphaba when the two characters become friends in the hit Broadway musical Evil. Now, the resurgence of excitement is palpable since the premiere of the film starring Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba sees ‘Wicked Part One’ fly into theaters on November 22, 2024; while ‘Perverse Part Two’landed on November 26, 2025.

Ahead of the film’s big premiere, Aldo Shoes — a global footwear and fashion accessories brand — has partnered with Universal Products & Experiences and is launching a stylish collaboration with Evil (because why not wear some fancy paraphernalia in solidarity with the amazing film). In fact, the 33-piece Wicked x Aldo Shoes capsule collection is a dreamscape of Oz and plays with the main characters’ colors and their respective affinities with Evil Pink – a tribute to Glinda’s aesthetic – whose soft, classic baby pink appears frequently throughout the collection in a beautiful satin material or crystal embellishments, evoking elegance and whimsy. Meanwhile, it is juxtaposed (albeit harmoniously) with Aldo’s Green Emerald Cityan homage to the character of Elphaba – whose tone is woven through crystals, meshes and leathers throughout the collection, thus leaning into the luxurious mood to evoke those feelings of all things mystical and mysterious.

“To partner on a film that represents such powerful themes and bold iconography is unbelievable for us. For our team to have the opportunity to combine our Aldo DNA with Elphaba and Glinda’s iconic style has been very inspiring and we really hope our consumers feel all the passion behind it,” says Daianara Grullon Amalfitano, Aldo Brand and Product Director.

Here, I pulled back the ‘velvet curtain on the Emerald City’ and spoke to the brains behind the project – Tara Burner (TB), Senior Design Director at Aldo Ladies Footwear; and Enzo Ramacieri (ER), Senior Director of Men’s Products at Aldo – on what it was like to manifest this beloved story and encapsulate so much synergy and life in the brand’s footwear, accessories and bags. With only about 3-4 months allotted, it was a whirlwind task to go from concept to production – and ultimately create a careful mix of styles that could suit everyone: casual sneakers, red carpet shoes, and more – all of which they were out of this world, to say the least.

Considering how many collaborations you’ve worked on for Aldo, what was most memorable about this one?

ER: For my team, this collaboration was special because we were all excited to work on it and it sparked what our culture is at Aldo. Of course, we had to design a product that was precise and well-organized, but the incredible synergy we had across our product teams when conceptualizing this collection played a huge role in bringing it to life.

TB: What inspired my team most when working on this collection was the costumes, as well as key pieces from each of the characters that were shared with us to help inspire our creations. Seeing how they were used and displayed at key moments in the film was very inspiring and really helped tell the story of the two amazing main characters, Glinda and Elphaba.

Are there any impactful pieces that you think will be a bestseller? Do you have a story about a specific item you brought to life that resonated most with you?

TB: I think all of our styles have bestselling attributes, but one of the most challenging for our team was definitely Glinda’s wand jump (Spellbinding)! Recreating this iconic accessory as a functional element of a shoe required many rounds of prototyping to get it right. Given the design of the wand, it was the first time we created a jump with so many tiny pieces that needed to fit together perfectly (and be functional)! In the end, we managed to overcome the complexities and the result is absolutely beautiful.

ER: Considering how narrow our men’s selection is, I’m confident they will all be bestsellers, but it was key for us to address the casual and apparel categories, which I think we did very well. For our customers looking for a casual option, our chunky sports sneaker (Hisroyalozness) is a great option that can also be styled up or down, from day to night. For a more elegant touch, our customers always love our unique smoking slippers, so we created two variations – Wizomania and Ozmopolitan – both with rich velvet and fun embellishments.

What inspiration did you take from the Broadway musical and the upcoming film and weave it into these pieces?

TB: For the main characters, beyond the more obvious color and material choices, we really focused on integrating small details of elements that showed off their personalities. For Glinda we played with flowers, butterflies and of course, her wand and tiara. For Elphaba, we integrated details like the potion bottle, hat and broomstick. All of these little icons are displayed in various ways on the shoes, bags and accessories in the form of embossing, buckle details and fun charms. We also took inspiration from Shiz Academy (the school where they meet) and, of course, the magical land of OZ, so consumers (and fans!) will also see references to them throughout the collection.

I know this is complicated, but could you tell me what your favorite piece from the collection is and why?

TB: I love them all for different reasons, but my absolute favorite is our “Takeflight” platform sandal. I love how comfortable and easy it is to wear (also thanks to our built-in Pillow Walk technology), but also how fun and dramatic the gold charms and embossed details are.

ER: My favorite would be our Wizomania – crystallized slippers: they are the perfect piece for those who are not afraid to stand out.

The pieces in the collection are now active and available for purchase.

Note: If you’re wondering about the gorgeous heels Ariana Grande wore during her appearance on Saturday Night Live in New York City — they were custom Wicked x Aldo heels made especially for the singer/actress. Styled by Mimi Cuttrell, Grande donned a hybrid between Amazafying shoes and Spellbinding sandals. While the actual heels Grande wore aren’t available for purchase, Amazafying and Spellbinding are — that is, until they fly off the shelves.