WHO’S THAT GIRL?

Michelle J. Li is a Chinese-American Costume & Production Designer for film, TV, stage and new media. She combines her extensive graphic and fine arts background in order to wield color, form and pattern with finesse to create fresh and whimsical work.

Michelle most recently costume designed Season 3 of Comedy Central’s Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens. Her feature credits include the Sundance ‘23 award-winning mockumentary Theater Camp, which was acquired by Searchlight Pictures; two of Alex Lehmann’s films: Meet Cute, a time-travel rom-com starring Kaley Cuoco and Pete Davidson; and Acidman starring Dianna Agron and Thomas Hadenchurch; as well as a forthcoming musical from T.K. McKamy titled Something Here starring Savannah Smith, Owen Joyner, Ariel Martin with original songs by Florida Georgia Line. Select shorts credits include Bea & Sofia directed by Victoria Pedretti, Chaperone starring Zachary Quinto (Sundance ‘22), and Columbarium starring Kate Mulgrew and Molly Ringwald.

Michelle’s feature breakout was Emma Seligman’s Shiva Baby, which won an Independent Spirit Award and premiered across the festival circuit at SXSW, TIFF, NewFest, the Melbourne International Film Festival and many more. Shiva Baby also won Outstanding Screenplay at L.A. Outfest 2020 and had its wide release in April 2021, now streaming on HBO. Michelle also production designed the music video Before You Go for Grammy-nominated artist, Lewis Capaldi, Jonah Feingold’s debut rom-com Dating And New York and Tess Harrison’s indie vision This Is A Film About My Mother.

She also made her Off-Broadway debut at Soho Playhouse as the costume designer for JOB, written by Max Friedlich and directed by Michael Herwitz. JOB is a NYTime’s Critic’s Pick and the play is currently having its sophomore run at The Connelly Theater.

Hailing from Queens, Michelle’s multifaceted artistic interests and talents led her to Carnegie Mellon University, where she earned a BFA in Costume Design from the School of Drama with summa cum laude honors. She is her design year’s sole recipient of the Elizabeth Kimberly Schrader Costume Design Award. Michelle is based in New York City and is a proud member of Local USA 829 and the Production Designers Collective.