Stepping into the opulent, chaotic world of The Righteous Gemstones for its third season in 2026 feels like being handed the keys to a holy-roller Ferrari and being told to just go nuts. As a huge fan of the show, getting the call to join as the new costume designer was a literal answered prayer. My mission? To dive headfirst into the televangelist family's universe of mega-wealth, absurdity, and sin, all while honoring the incredible foundation laid by the original designer, Sarah Trost. This season promised new power dynamics, wild storylines, and, of course, a whole new level of church-related shenanigans, and dressing it all was my heavenly assignment.

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Baptism by Sequins: Finding My Footing in the Gemstone Universe

Coming into an established show is no joke—it's like being the new kid at the most exclusive, dysfunctional school imaginable. But hey, I'd done it before on The Chi, so I wasn't totally green. The real kicker? I had just finished binging season two and begged my agents, "For the love of Christ, get me a show like The Righteous Gemstones." Talk about manifestation! A week later, the offer came. At that point, any nerves about stepping into someone else's vision went straight out the stained-glass window. I know Sarah, and I've always adored her work on the show. But Danny McBride, the creator and star, had to put me through my paces first. He needed to see if I could speak the unique language of Gemstone fashion. Once I passed that test? He let the reins go, and I was off to the races, full throttle.

The core challenge was threading the needle between consistency and fresh flair. We couldn't confuse the loyal viewers, but we also had to level up. The Gemstones are now firmly in charge of the church empire, and their wardrobe needed to scream "new money on a divine mission." For Jesse Gemstone (Danny McBride), that meant diving deeper into his love for gaudy luxury. We stuck to his world but injected a heavy dose of Versace and Dolce & Gabbana. Think more animal prints, more gold chains, more everything. He's the head honcho now, baby! Let's push it even further.

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Hype Priests and Glamour Girls: Redefining the Siblings

This season gave me amazing runway to really elevate each character's personal journey through clothes. It was, for lack of a better word, my moment to shine.

  • Kelvin's Transformation: In seasons one and two, Kelvin (Adam DeVine) had that Christian youth pastor-meets-rock star vibe. I thought, "Why can't he be a full-blown hype priest?" I imagined him scrolling TikTok, looking at figures like Justin Bieber for inspiration. So, we moved him into Fear of God sneakers, off-white tones, and a much more curated, streetwear-influenced look. It's holier-than-thou, but make it fashion-forward. My own daughter was sending me weird videos from her grandparents' megachurch, and let's just say a little of that real-life preacher swagger found its way into Kelvin's closet.

  • Judy's Tour Glitz: Judy Gemstone (the phenomenal Edi Patterson) was coming off tour, and that was my golden ticket. What would Judy wear on tour? Whatever little-girl Judy always dreamed of wearing: pure, unadulterated glitz and glam. Sequins, feathers, bold colors—nothing was too much. It was about capturing her chaotic, desperate-for-the-spotlight energy in every rhinestone.

My secret weapon for inspiration? Accounts like PreachersNSneakers. I was a bit bummed they weren't as active when I started, so I went deep into the rabbit hole of who they follow and tag. My Instagram feed became a curated collection of megachurch pastors in Supreme and Balenciaga. Research has never been so gloriously tacky.

Building the Chaos: From Smut Busters to Oyster Shells

Oh man, the range this season was insane. One minute we're dressing a secret society, the next a racing sequence, then an infomercial. It was a wild ride. The key to surviving it all? An incredible department. My team was a match made in heaven; every single person gave 110%.

A ton of stuff had to be built from scratch. The Cape and Pistols outfits for the secret society? Entirely built. We worked for months, sending swatches back and forth with production design to get every detail perfect. The Gemstones' racing outfits were this bizarre, glorious collaboration between Dale Earnhardt and Elvis. For other pieces, we became masters of the secondhand luxury market, scouring sites like The RealReal through what felt like 725,000 pages of clothing. You just gotta keep digging!

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But let's talk about the Smut Busters. I died a little when I read that script. The initial idea was generic: a logo T-shirt and jeans. But me? I can't do simple. I just literally can't. We hunted for the weirdest, most specific T-shirts. And then, in a moment of divine inspiration, we shouted, "Zubaz! We have to have Zubaz!" So every Smut Buster got their own glorious pair of those patterned pants. But we didn't stop there:

  • Socks were matched to shirt colors.

  • The kids wore Velcro "old man" shoes.

  • We had a whole office day where we sat around writing funny, stupid things in Sharpie on the shoes like "Jesus loves you."

It's those hidden details that make it so special and so gross in the best way. A little nod to shows like Double Dare in the graphics just sealed the deal.

A Costume to Be Buried In: The Crown Jewel

If I had to pick a favorite creation from this season, it's hands down, no contest, Baby Billy's oyster costume. It is probably the greatest thing I've ever built in my life, and I will never get over it. That stationary oyster shell... the concept is just so gloriously stupid. It's a one-stop-shop character moment. He is everything you need, all contained in a ridiculous mollusk. I told everyone, "Bury me in that oyster shell and we are good to go." The Cape and Pistols outfits are beautiful, with their sashes and hidden gun details, but come on. The oyster costume is iconic. It perfectly encapsulates the show's spirit: absurd, hilarious, and utterly unforgettable.

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Looking back on season three, it was a whirlwind of fabric, faith, and folly. Dressing the Gemstones and their world is about more than just clothes; it's about building a visual language for their greed, their ambition, their love, and their profound silliness. Every Zubaz pant, every Versace logo, every Sharpie-scrawled shoe was a stitch in the tapestry of their chaotic kingdom. And getting to be the one to weave that tapestry? Well, that was a blessing all its own. 🙏✨