ASU graduate’s design to be highlighted during Broadway's biggest night of the year

The Tony Awards ceremony is a celebration that highlights excellence within the Broadway community, attracting millions of viewers every year.

And before the 2026 ceremony begins, the red carpet will spotlight fashion designers from all over the world, including Arizona State University’s own Deven Tso.

Tso, who is set to graduate in May with a degree in fashion, is ending his undergraduate college career at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts with a bang by designing a dress for Arizona’s only Tony Award voter — ASU Gammage Executive Director Colleen Jennings-Roggensack.

The dress will make its debut on the Tony Awards red carpet on June 7, giving both Tso and Jennings-Roggensack a chance to shine.

"(Colleen) is outspoken, she is confident and transparent, and it's very hard to find that nowadays,” Tso said. "The only thing that can represent something as powerful as that is a gem. So why not make her a walking gem?"

In the past, Tso’s work has been featured in events such as Arizona Fashion Week. Throughout his career, Tso has incorporated his Native culture into his pieces, which is something Tso says that he is “blessed to do.”

“I really like to push the boundaries of what Native clothing can look like, be expressed and show the world about how we think and how we make,” Tso said.

The dress that Tso designed for Jennings-Roggensack is what he described as a “sister dress” to a past design that paid homage to his grandma. The new dress features turquoise velvet as the main fabric, with a square neckline and a dress outline similar to that of a pencil skirt. It also includes an intricate hand- and machine-embroidered design on the front and back.

“Deven has outdone himself,” Jennings-Roggensack said. “I am honored to wear this beautiful dress on the red carpet and show the rest of the world how talented and innovative ASU students are. He has captured family heritage in this design, telling a story through fabric that celebrates identity, legacy and creativity in a truly unforgettable way.”

Tso said that the tools provided by ASU, such as studio space, and the people around him on campus really helped him in growing his career. With this support, Tso plans on getting a master's degree in fashion and continuing to make an impact on the fashion world.

“It is a privilege to be educated," Tso said. “I would like to use my education as a tool to change Navajo and Native perspective on clothing.”

The Tony Awards are set for Sunday, June 7, at Radio City Musical Hall in New York City.