Ruth E. Carter is an Academy Award–winning costume designer whose work transcends clothing, using style as a powerful language to explore race, politics, and culture. With over 60 film and television credits including Black Panther, Do the Right Thing, Selma, and Coming 2 America Carter has shaped the visual identity of Black cinema for decades. Known for her Afrofuturistic sensibility, she blends ancestral traditions with modern silhouettes and advanced technology to create looks that feel both timeless and visionary.
Now, she has reached a historic new high. With her fifth Academy Award nomination for Sinners (Best Costume Design), Ruth E. Carter has officially become the most-nominated Black woman in Oscar history across all categories cementing her legacy as one of Hollywood’s most influential visual storytellers. The nomination comes from Ryan Coogler’s genre-defying period horror, which earned a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Carter during the press run for the first Black Panther a moment I’ll never forget. She was radiant, energetic, and generous with her knowledge. During our conversation, I asked her a question that still stands out to me as a fashion blogger:
My question to Ruth:
I’m a fashion blogger, but I usually don’t write about men’s fashion. But you styled Chadwick impeccably. How did you know what to put him in?
Ruth E. Carter:
“Well, when you look at the cast, there’s the antagonist and the protagonist. Chadwick is the king he’s royal. Michael B. Jordan is the antagonist. So the king is the king. We decided that the panther suit the new one was going to be more technologically advanced, more streamlined, more beautiful, and less bulky than the Civil War suit. That idea translated directly into his everyday wardrobe.
I chose pieces that were very body-conscious. You’ll notice he wears a lot of knits and sweaters you see his arms, and you’re like, mmm hmm. He was fun to dress.
We did embroidery on his tailcoat, and that process was interesting because we tried so many different embroidery styles. I was never fully satisfied. He’d put one on and say, ‘I feel like the Commodores right now,’ and I’d say, ‘Okay wrong. Wrong idea.’
So I brought the problem to Ryan Coogler, who is incredible at helping you problem-solve. He said, ‘I saw this beautiful dashiki with a gorgeous embroidery pattern on the front use that.’ And once we did, it was done.”
It was a masterclass not just in costume design, but in storytelling through fashion one more reason Ruth E. Carter’s work continues to define eras, shape culture, and make history.
Image courtesy of AAFCA
