Ms. Aldredge worked on everything from Shakespeare to Sondheim, but was best known for her designs for musicals. She won Tony Awards for her costumes for the original Broadway productions of Annie, Barnum and La Cage aux Folles. She was Tony-nominated a total of 15 times, and created iconic costumes for such shows as A Chorus Line, Dreamgirls and 42nd Street. She was called on to recreate her simple, yet memorable work for A Chorus Line when the musical was revived in 2006. It was her final Broadway credit.

She was born Theoni Athanasiou Vachlioti on Aug. 22, 1922, in Salonika, Greece, and, despite spending the majority of her life in the U.S., never quite lost her accent. Her mother died when she was five; her father was active in Greek politics and encouraged her to travel. She was educated at the American School in Athens and then went to the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, to which she won a scholarship to study design.

She frequently worked for producer Joe Papp, where she was the principal designer for more than 20 years. ''Papp made me learn my craft, whether I liked it or not,'' she told the New York Times in 2001. ''He paid me $80 a week. I'd say, 'Joe, that's not enough for my cigarettes.' He'd say, 'You have to stop smoking.' ''

Ms. Aldredge was known for the large budgets her opulent costumes often required, and in recent years she bemoaned the limitations that shrinking funds and rehearsal schedules placed on her art.

According to fellow costume designer, Martin Pakledinaz, she did not possess a big ego and was press shy. "People didn't always realize the scope of her work on Broadway plays and musicals, which I think changed design on Broadway," said Pakledinaz. "Then, she also had an amazing ability to design for movies as diverse at 'Network,' 'The Great Gatsby' and 'Ghostbusters.' But I must admit what she taught me most was respect for actors. She loved actors."

Also active in film, Ms. Aldredge received an Oscar for her work on the 1974 film "The Great Gatsby." Her designs for the movie were adapted for a clothing line sold at Bloomingdale's. Subsequent movie work included "Network," "The Rose," "Annie," "Ghostbusters," "Moonstruck," "Addams Family Values," and "The First Wives Club."

Source: Playbill.com