Ruth Carter

Ruth E. Carter is the most acclaimed costume designer in Hollywood history and the first Black person to win the Academy Award for Best Costume Design — which she won twice, for Black Panther in 2019 and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in 2023. Her work doesn't just dress characters; it builds worlds, blending African traditions, Afrofuturism, and meticulous historical research into visual storytelling that has defined how audiences imagine Black culture on screen.

Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1960, Carter attended Hampton University, where she began working in theater. She moved to Los Angeles and quickly established herself as one of the most versatile costume designers in the industry. She has collaborated with Spike Lee on over a dozen films, including Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, and BlacKkKlansman, and her work spans genres from historical epics to science fiction.

Carter's costumes for Black Panther were a landmark achievement — she researched dozens of African cultures, incorporating Maasai, Zulu, Himba, Tuareg, and Ndebele design elements into a cohesive Wakandan aesthetic that felt simultaneously ancient and futuristic. The film's costumes became cultural icons; the character Shuri's face paint and the Dora Milaje uniforms appeared at Halloween events and cultural celebrations worldwide. Carter has designed costumes for over 60 films and has been nominated for or won virtually every award in her field.