Interview by Niara Wright | Photo by JaxonPhotoGroup | Movie Stills Courtesy of Marvel Studios
We’re going into the NYOTA archives to find some of our favorite interviews that weren’t originally shared on the site.
After introductions, phonetic pronunciations of names (mine) and two dropped calls. I was able to speak with Ruth E. Carter. As much as I would have loved to meet her in person, Ruth is understandably very busy after her success from Marvel’s Black Panther. This superhero blockbuster was not Ruth’s first go-around for costume design in film. She is best known for her work in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X and Steven Spielberg’s Amistad, but she’s also responsible for creating the looks for film favorites such as Do the Right Thing, House Party 2, Love & Basketball, and School Daze, to name a few. Being a fashion enthusiast, I was beside myself with excitement to speak to this legend. Here’s what I learned about her.
Niara Wright: Hello, Ms. Ruth! June Ambrose just posted about you on Instagram!
Ruth E. Carter: Oh, I love June!
(At this point Ruth and I are basically best friends already)
NW: What sparked your interest in costume design?
RC: I always felt like I wanted to be in the dramatic arts, and I went to college to be an actress. I like storytelling, I feel like there’s a lot of stories in me. When I was given the opportunity to dress a play in the drama department, it was a way I could express myself through my art. I had a few skills I taught myself growing up. I could draw. I taught myself how to sew, and those two interests worked for me when I did the play, and so it was like a marriage, a great marriage.
NW: And shortly after you had an apprenticeship at the Santa Fe Opera, how was that experience?
RC: That was such an enriching experience because, being an intern, you are at the lowest tier, and there were so many of us that we banded together and became a family. And New Mexico is such a beautiful place, and opera was such an amazing place to learn costume. My group was really good at the fast changes, and we would do a fast change in a matter of a minute. It was such a fun way to learn costume.
NW: I can relate from doing fashion styling in fashion shows. I, too, love the chaos and fun of the quick change.
RC: Yes! And It’s rewarding!
NW: What would you say is your favorite project that you have worked on over the past 25 years?
RC: I would have to say Malcolm X, directed by Spike Lee.
NW: In Black Panther, you were able to mix traditional African aesthetics with modern-day style. How did you approach designing the looks for Black Panther?
RC: My first thought was that I didn’t want it to look like other films that dealt with African aesthetics. So I stayed away from them and advised my staff to do so as well. Secondly, the beauty in the African aesthetic can be seen throughout the continent; therefore, I sought to use that as a direction for the detail of each garment. And also to not use it in an anthropological way, but in a way that would honor it and imagine it if it were developed with a contemporary perspective.
NW: Who was your favorite character to dress on Black Panther and why?
RC: I spent a lot of time with Lupita. She, different from the rest of the cast, plays a spy. So it was fun to create her many disguises. She is a Nigerian captive, a war dog, a traditional warrior, a Nigerian princess, a CIA operative, a girlfriend, and a warrior. That was challenging and also fun to find with her.
NW: What advice do you have for any young people who want to get into costume design?
RC: Be prepared to work hard. If you don’t like to spend long hours figuring things out, then this job is not for you. If you are easily distracted, then find the right creative outlet that suits your passion because this profession requires great sacrifices. Some of which you’ll never get back again. But the reward in the end is pretty spectacular!
Ruth is currently working on her latest project, Yellowstone, which premieres in June 2018.
This story first ran in Issue 11. Read more from the issue here.
