What does it mean to create futuristic costumes from the past? Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter’s Afrofuturistic designs imagine the fictional African nation of Wakanda without the influence of colonialism. In “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” she takes this theory to another imagined world that draws on Mesoamerican history. In this episode, Carter breaks down the creative process behind her unique approach to costume design.

Since this publication, Ruth E. Carter has won the award for Best Costume Design at the 95th Academy Awards for her work on “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

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