Florence Klotz, 86; won 6 Tonys for her costume designs

Florence Klotz, 86, a Tony-award winning costume designer who worked on more than 50 Broadway productions, including the legendary “Follies,” died in her sleep Wednesday in her New York City home.

The designer collaborated most successfully with Harold Prince, winning Tonys for six musicals he directed. Besides “Follies,” which showcased lavish black-and-white showgirl costumes, Klotz won Tonys for “A Little Night Music,” “Pacific Overtures,” “Grind,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman” and the 1994 revival of “Show Boat.”

Among the other shows that featured designs by Klotz were “City of Angels,” “On the Twentieth Century,” “It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s Superman” and the Elizabeth Taylor revival of “The Little Foxes.”

A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Klotz began her Broadway career in 1951 as an assistant to Irene Sharaff, who designed the costumes for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The King and I.” She also created costumes for ballets by Jerome Robbins, “Madama Butterfly” for the Chicago Lyric Opera and the film version of “A Little Night Music.”