Ruth Carter @OnSetWardrobe is the costume designer behind all of the looks in Black Panther, and has already lent her talents to legendary films like Malcolm X, BAPS, Selma, and more. The renowned costume designer went to Twitter shortly after the trailer was released and said “it was important to make them heroic and tribal.“
Early in the trailer, two men discuss Wakanda, the home of the superhero Black Panther aka T’Challa, and describe it as, “…a third world country. Textiles, shepherds, cool outfits.” The teaser shows Wakanda and its inhabitants confronting The Black Panther in bright and vibrant colors. The bold yellow and green prints gave us a slight foreshadowing as to what we can expect next in the film.
Armor is a prominent theme in the trailer. The Black Panther’s matte black armor, festooned with spikes on the chest, add an edgy aura to his fictional character.
The female guards stand tall and strong in their red and gold suits of armor. With their bright red ensembles and shaved heads, they stand confident and stand their ground. The detailing from the chokers to the shoulders show that these costume designers kept it trendy throughout the film.
Lupita Nyong’o, who plays Nakia, is dressed in a similar red armor. With a clinched waist and gold and silver detailing, her character’s suit of arms looks as if it could almost be a dress.
Letitia Wright, who plays Shuri, acts as Nakia’s battle partner. She wears a darker suit of armor with gloves and her face is full of tribal make-up.
A snippet of the trailer also shows a tribal leader wearing a teal pants suit with a lime green button-down. The repetition of bright colors and bold accoutrements plays to the African references in the film.
The bright, colorful, and yet trendy costumes for “Black Panther” definitely make me more eager to check it out! It hits theaters February 16th 2018.
Will you be going to see it?
