The world of cinema has long been influenced by fashion, and the story of Black Panther is no exception. For forty years, academy award-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter has built a career within the concept of Afrofuturism, bringing together colors and textures to create narratives of culture, race, and politics. She wowed fans across the globe with her designs for the first installment of the movie, and she’s back again for the sequel: Wakanda Forever.
The first film focused on the futuristic African city of Wakanda: a civilization untouched by colonization. Carter worked on her designs for six months and pulled inspiration from real modern-day tribes across the continent, such as the Massai people from Kenya, the Ndebele women in South Africa, and the Himbe tribe of Namibia. This time around, fans will see even more of Wakanda and a new city: Talocan. The new fictional city is protected by none other than Namor, played by Tenoch Huerta. And while we’ve only seen glimpses so far, his costume design already has Marvel fans roaring for more.
Inspired by Mayan warriors and Aztec civilizations from South America, Namor’s costume pulls elements such as gold, pearl, and a serpent-inspired headdress together to create a stunning look and an intimidating one for those who dare stand in his way. Carter spoke about working with historians and experts of the Mayan culture to ensure that the Talocan culture was depicted just right and that, after looking at several Mesoamerican sculptures, it was the feathered-serpent figures that looked the most powerful. Most notable, however, was the design of his chest piece and its use of pearl, a material traditionally thought of as feminine. It’s few and far between that we see male characters wearing anything like this, especially within the superhero genre. To see it portrayed in such a powerful and stunning way will not only echo across the film industry but will shape the future of fashion and storytelling and how we see characters like Namor.
For years, fashion and film have gone hand in hand to shape the culture we live in and The Black Panther series is not different. But it becomes a true masterpiece in the hands of artists like Carter and director Ryan Coogler. The highly anticipated sequel explores new depths to existing characters, introduces new ones, and pays beautiful homage to the late Chadwick Boseman. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever released in theaters on November 11.
Words by Chelsea Nott.
Graphics by Danna Macias.