RUTH E. CARTER
Ruth E. Carter is a trailblazing, two-time Academy Award-winning American film costume designer, celebrated for her work in bringing to life the vibrant and culturally rich costumes of “Black Panther." Carter made history as the first Black person to win the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, securing Marvel Studios' first Oscar in the process. She repeated this groundbreaking success with “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” becoming the first Black woman to win multiple Academy Awards in any category and the first costume designer to win for both a film and its sequel.
Carter's costumes for “Black Panther” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” are a tribute to the people of Africa, blending traditional and contemporary elements with modern technology. She skillfully created Afrofuturistic designs that honor ancient cultures, empower the female form, and provide unparalleled representation on screen. In “Wakanda Forever,” she expanded her innovative designs, introducing new superhero costumes and the underwater world of Talokan. Tasked with creating hundreds of costumes, Carter crafted visually stunning pieces inspired by both Wakandan culture and post-classic Mesoamerican Maya culture, merging history with imagination.
With over three decades of experience and more than seventy credits in film, television, and theater, Carter has worked with directors such as Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg, Ava DuVernay, and Ryan Coogler. Her designs span iconic films like “Do the Right Thing,” “Malcolm X,” “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” “Amistad,” “Selma,” “Dolemite Is My Name,” “Coming 2 America,” and the “Black Panther” franchise. Through her meticulous costume design, Carter enriches narratives, especially those centered on African American experiences, solidifying her as a preeminent voice in period genres and Afro aesthetics.
Her career achievements include Academy Award nominations for “Malcolm X” (1993) and “Amistad” (1998), as well as an Emmy nomination for the miniseries reboot of “Roots” (2016). In 2019, she was honored with the Costume Designers Guild’s Career Achievement Award and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2021. A member of the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Carter represents the Costume Designers Branch, championing diversity in storytelling.
Most recently, Carter’s work shines in the box-office hit “Sinners,” where she elevated the film’s narrative through bold, symbolic costuming—most memorably in its iconic dance sequence—demonstrating her unmatched ability to fuse story, movement, and design into cultural spectacle. She continues to expand her influence beyond film, designing Teyana Taylor’s unforgettable Black Dandy look for the 2025 Met Gala and producing a major project on legendary couture designer Ann Lowe in partnership with Serena Williams’ production company—spotlighting the legacy of a fashion pioneer long overlooked in history.
Carter's impact in costume design extends beyond the screen and are celebrated in her traveling exhibition “Afrofuturism in Costume Design,” and her book “The Art of Ruth E. Carter,” released in May 2023. The exhibit showcases over 70 costumes from Carter’s illustrious filmmaking career, infused with artistry, offering an intimate glimpse into her creative process and the iconic designs she’s brought to life on screen. The exhibition has been in residence in nine cities and will be traveling from the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Indiana to the African American Museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Carter is beloved in her hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts, where a mural of her life and career is displayed at Rebecca Johnson Elementary School. She was awarded the key to the city in 2021 for her achievements and service. Ruth Carter is a proud graduate of Hampton University, Virginia (HBCU), and has earned honorary doctorates from Hampton, Suffolk University in Boston, Massachusetts, and Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts.
Ruth E. Carter’s contributions to costume design are a national treasure, preserving history, celebrating identity, and reimagining the future of Black culture on screen.