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The Art of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black History and the Afrofuture, from Do the Right Thing to Black Panther

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The definitive, deluxe art book from costume design legend Ruth E. Carter.

Ruth E. Carter is a living legend of costume design. For three decades, she has shaped the story of the Black experience on screen—from the ’80s streetwear of Do the Right Thing to the royal regalia of Coming 2 America. Her work on Marvel's Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever not only brought Afrofuturism to the mainstream, but also made her the first Black winner of an Oscar in costume design and the first Black woman to win two Oscars in any category. In 2021, she became the second-ever costume designer to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In this definitive book, Carter shares her origins—recalling a trip to the sporting goods store with Spike Lee to outfit the School Daze cast and a transformative moment stepping inside history on the set of Steven Spielberg's Amistad. She recounts anecdotes from dressing the greats: Eddie Murphy, Samuel L. Jackson, Angela Bassett, Halle Berry, Chadwick Boseman, and many more. She describes the passion for history that inspired her period pieces—from Malcolm X to What's Love Got to Do With It—and her journey into Afrofuturism.

Carter's wisdom and stories are paired with deluxe visuals, including sketches, mood boards, and film stills. Danai Gurira, beloved for her portrayal of Okoye in Black Panther, has contributed a foreword. Fans will even get a glimpse behind the scenes of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

At its core, Carter's oeuvre celebrates Black heroes and sheroes, whether civil rights leaders or Wakandan warriors. She has brought the past to life and helped us imagine a brighter future. This book is sure to inspire the next generation of artists and storytellers.

MAJOR ICON: Ruth E. Carter is behind some of the most iconic costumes on screen, not least the opulent Black Panther looks that won her an Oscar. She's worked with some of the biggest names in cinema, from Spike Lee to Ava DuVernay. Her popularity goes beyond those interested in fashion and film—she is also a role model for women of color and creative entrepreneurs.

INCREDIBLE VISUALS: This gorgeous book includes an amazing array of images. Film stills reveals the details that make Carter's costumes so special. Sketches and mood boards illuminate her artistic process and the way she collaborates with actors, directors, and fellow crew members. This book is a feast for the eyes.

COMPELLING STORY: Taken as a whole, Carter's three-decade career is not just a collection of great films; it tells a story. Whether comedies or period pieces, biopics or superhero blockbusters, her films have shaped the narrative of the Black experience in American cinema.

BEHIND THE SCENES OF BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER: Fans will love seeing behind the scenes of the original Black Panther and the sequel, discovering the artistry and passion that went into creating Wakanda.

Perfect for:
Fans of Ruth E. Carter, Black Panther, Spike Lee, and all the icons of Black Hollywood
Art, fashion, and film students
Young women and Black creatives looking for inspiration
Followers of Hollywood fashion trends and devotees of costume and clothing design
Film buffs building their coffee table book collection

152 pages, Hardcover

Published May 23, 2023

10 people are currently reading
1741 people want to read

About the author

Ruth E. Carter

3 books12 followers
Ruth E. Carter is one of the most renowned and celebrated costume designers working today. In addition to her win for Black Panther, she's been nominated for two other Oscars and an Emmy. She has costumed over forty films over the course of three decades. Her work is currently the subject of a traveling exhibit.

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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Raindrops And Readers .
28 reviews6 followers
March 1, 2023
Amazing! Bravo! I gained a better understanding of the behind the scenes that's involved with costume designing. Additionally, I was not aware of all the iconic classic films Ms. Ruth was behind, many of my favorite films. The amount of in-depth research and detail that is behind each look I was left in awe. After reading this book I now want to rewatch these classic films and look more closely at the details of the costumes. This is a book you need for the bookshelf!

#TheArtofRuthECarter #NetGalley
Profile Image for Julia.
176 reviews9 followers
June 17, 2023
A true artist indeed, Ruth E. Carter has gifted the world a beautiful collection of her artwork. Filled with behind the scenes tales, stories of her inspiration, original sketches, photographs from fittings, movie sets and filming locations, the book is a real treasure for movie lovers.
Ruth E. Carter is a history making, award winning costume designer that has worked with everyone! An African American icon making strides in an industry that so boldly shunned (and at times, still does) black talent on every level since it's inception. Her career spans decades and she shows no signs of slowing down, which will definitely lead to The Art of Ruth E. Carter: Volume 2.
Profile Image for Misse Jones.
579 reviews47 followers
June 8, 2023
A fascinating exploration and must-read!

I was really excited to get my hands on a copy of this deluxe art book. Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is PHENOMENAL! It is a beautiful rendering of Ruth E. Carter's work in the entertainment industry. It is compellingly bold and striking and her name is one that we should all know.

So, who is Ruth E. Carter? She is the first Black winner of an Oscar in costume design. She is also the first Black woman to win two Oscars in any category. She is the second ever costume designer to win an illustrious star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She is known for her passion and work on historical period pieces as evidenced in Malcolm X, What's Love Got To Do With It, and Amistad. Working with the likes of Angela Bassett, Hailey Berry, Samuel L. Jackson, Chadwick Boseman, and Eddie Murphy, this book is sure to inspire the likes of many as her work is placed on display.

I very much appreciate the rich and in depth story she tells of how she got started in the 80's in a career that has spanned over the course of three decades. Paired with absolutely stunning visuals including sketches, mood boards, and stills from films, it is definitely one you won't want to miss diving into. She is the force behind so many of the beautiful costumes we have seen and continue to see on screen. I especially enjoyed the work she's done on the Black Panther movies. The work that she does and is willing to do is unlike any other I've seen. I especially enjoyed learning about her long-standing relationship with legend filmmaker, Spike Lee and how it has influenced her work over the years.

Profile Image for Sarah.
560 reviews17 followers
August 19, 2024
A visually engaging tour through the career of Ruth Carter, a talented and prolific costume designer who won an Oscar for Black Panther! My main complaint is that the text and photographs didn’t always match up well—there would often be a long written passage about a costume that wasn’t pictured, and pictures of costumes that weren’t talked about! I really liked all of the behind-the-scenes stories and explanations of the intentions behind the costumes, so I wish they had aligned a little more tightly.
Profile Image for Anna Alexander.
381 reviews6 followers
June 7, 2023
Ruth E Carter is a national treasure. I remember seeing movies like Malcolm X and What’s Love Go to Do With It and thinking the costumes were amazing. Now I know why.
Profile Image for Emily Hasty.
15 reviews
Want to read
April 7, 2023
Many thanks to NetGalley, Chronicle Books, and Ruth E. Carter for an advanced copy of this book.
This book makes me giddy with joy! I got my degree in Costume Design and have always felt so uncertain, no-one knew what it was. This is a deep and thoughtful look at her work and career, a wonderful explanation on what costuming is, why it's important, how it affects culture, and visual storytelling.

The timeline follows her from her early theater days to her most recent film (and second Oscar win!) Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Instead of going year by year it focuses on each film included. You get specific insight to each character and fun tales of what went into making the costumes. I could sit down and read 500 pages of that but this book is well edited and very accessible to someone not in the industry or wanting to learn about it. Ms Carter's work is purposeful and she explains why from a design standpoint and a personal one.

The art in the book is incredible both illustrations and photographs. I would recommend to anyone interested in art, fashion design, costume design, and below the line jobs in theater/film. #nakedwithoutus #theartofruthecarter

Only note is that for the illustrations she did not do the illustrators should be credited.
Profile Image for Diana.
364 reviews
October 1, 2023
I ADORE Ruth E. Carter's work, and the sections of this book relating to the design for Black Panther and Wakanda Forever held snippets of the style inspirations and occasional costume detail that I was hoping for in a career review like this. The remaining chapters felt rushed and often did not include any actual costume descriptions and very few images, in addition to a number of typos (including an entire paragraph that appeared to be missing). Several films received one paragraph only or were simply lists of others that also worked on the film - a page on costuming Eddie Murphy over nine films that only has one image? A disservice to an icon to not properly edit or expand this work. I hope to see a more comprehensive coffee table-style book in the future.
Profile Image for CJ Opal.
189 reviews8 followers
April 18, 2023
As a set costumer, I was so excited when I found out this book was in the works. Ruth Carter is such an inspiration, and it was joyous to follow her journey from working on indie sets to designing for Black Panther, becoming a two time Oscar winner in the process. Hearing about her on set struggles, and her growth in her self confidence was so relatable. I found myself laughing along with her mishaps, and cheering for her triumphs. Her voice in this book is honest and humble, she truly seems to be exactly the type of designer you want to work for and with. I cannot wait to gift this book to my costume designing friends.

I received an advanced digital copy from NetGalley.
Profile Image for AMAO.
1,928 reviews45 followers
January 16, 2023
The Art of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black History and the Afrofuture
from Do the Right Thing to Black Panther by Ruth E. Carter
Published May 2nd 2023

<3 This timeline of Ms. Ruth's creative fashion brilliance through the years in Black Entertainment was nostalgia at its finest! Her Filmography from the 80s with Spike Lee's SCHOOLDAZE to the ICONIC Black Panther Franchise, Ms. Ruth continues to carve her name in history. Learning about her creative process starting from the sketches, to the picking of the fabric to bringing it to life for all the characters was detailed and impressive. This is a great Coffee Table Book and a #MustHave Collectors Item! The pictures of the sketches and the finished fashion items were absolutely stunning!

#TheArtofRuthECarter #NetGalley #ARC #BlackMemorabilia #BlackCinema



The definitive, deluxe art book from costume design legend and Oscar Award winner Ruth E. Carter.

For three decades, she has shaped the story of the Black experience on screen—from the ’80s streetwear of Do the Right Thing to the royal regalia of Coming 2 America. Her work on Marvel's Black Panther not only brought Afrofuturism to the mainstream, but also made her the first Black winner of an Oscar in costume design. Includes sketches, mood boards, films stills, and behind-the-scenes stories from beloved movies, including Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Foreword by actress Danai Gurira
Profile Image for Jax.
295 reviews24 followers
January 18, 2023
Academy Award winner Ruth Carter was disappointed when she was asked to handle costumes for a production in which she had hoped to perform. It is a cliche, but when one door closes, another opens. In this case, Ruth’s extraordinary but latent talent for storytelling through costume was set free. This book follows her career from that pivotal moment in college through some of the most iconic films of our times in which she worked with industry giants such as Spike Lee, Denzel Washington, Morgan Freeman, Eddie Murphy, Angela Bassett, and Halle Berry. Carter discusses the challenges she faced in each project and walks the reader through her creative process with accompanying sketches and stunning photography. She demonstrates a deep commitment to authenticity and respect for the cultures she represents in her work. This creatively designed book would make a wonderful addition to anyone’s library and is especially suited for gift giving.

Thank you to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.
Profile Image for D.T..
Author 5 books81 followers
July 4, 2023
I enjoyed this. I didn’t know Carter began as an actress at first. There were so many movies she had a hand in! I always like seeing other creatives’ processes, but I wish the book included way more concept art and designs.

In particular, I’ve seen other concept designs floating around for the Wakanda Forever designs. As I say this, I see a The Art of Wakanda Forever book is scheduled for January 16, 2024, so those may be more explored there.

“After I worked on Black Panther, people began to ask me how it felt to design superheroes. The truth is, over my whole career, I have been designing costumes for superheroes: Malcolm X, Dr. King, Betty Shabazz, Coretta Scott King, Cinqué, the White House Butler, Thurgood Marshall, and Amelia Boynton. These same heroes and, let me add “sheroes” who helped shape our country also helped me build my voice in Afrofuturism.”


Overall, this was great. Even the book design is thoughtful. Encased around red with black and gold trimmings on the side.
Profile Image for Kelly.
317 reviews40 followers
July 18, 2023
Ruth E. Carter is the first Black winner of an Academy Award for costume design, and the first Black woman to win multiple awards in any category. She came to a lot of people's attention for her Oscar-winning BLACK PANTHER costumes (the sequel would gain her a second Oscar), but her career goes back to 1988, beginning with Spike Lee's SCHOOL DAZE.

Carter got the attention of Steven Spielberg with her costumes for MALCOLM X, and he hired her to design the costumes for AMISTAD. (Both of those films would gain her Oscar nominations.)

I would have appreciated more in-depth analysis of Carter's costume design, but this is more of a memoir, and I assume/hope that her work will receive academic treatment. She has plenty of insight into how the work of costume design gets done and the depth of research that goes into every single look.

This would be an excellent book for high school libraries, as it could serve as inspiration for students considering a career in costume design --or for those who don't yet realize that such a field exists.
Profile Image for AnnieM.
481 reviews30 followers
March 20, 2023
A beautiful mini-biography with magnificent photographs and drawings of her costume design. Ruth Carter is the first black costume designer to win two Oscars (including one this year for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever). Just as she dedicated her Oscar to her mother who had passed away a week prior to her win, she also dedicates this book to her. Carter had originally wanted to be an actor in College, but ended up working on costumes. This book is not only about her life and her art but also about her creative process which was really interesting to read about. She worked for 25 years with Spike Lee on his films starting with School Daze and her description of working on these films, where she found inspiration and some of the highs and challenges throughout her career make for a very good read. I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Chronicle Books for an ARC and I voluntarily left this review.
Profile Image for Nicole Dunton.
1,419 reviews36 followers
May 2, 2023
Title: The Art of Ruth E Carter
Author: Ruth E Carter
Release Date: May 23rd, 2023
Page Count: 143
Format: Netgalley
Start Date: April 28th, 2023
Finish Date: April 28th, 2023

Rating: 5 Stars

Review:

I really loved reading about and seeing the amazing work that Ruth E Carter has provided to many popular movies. It was like a time capsule of her work through the years. I mean that about the writing and the photography sprinkled throughout the entire book. What I love the most is that the good and bad was talked about. She talked about her struggles and successes. Because of reading this, I now have a list of movies I want to watch and rewatch. I feel like I will be seeing them all from a different light now.
Profile Image for Anna.
246 reviews1 follower
September 4, 2023
Even if her name isn't as splashy to the main audience as others in the film world, Ruth E. Carter is probably one of the most successful "below-the-line" workers in Hollywood. Her career, which spans from the early days of Spike Lee to the gowning of Angela Bassett's characters associated with her Oscar nominations, is succinctly covered in The Art of Ruth E. Carter. However, anyone interested in fashion or film should be reading this book. For someone who is able to encapsulate period and contemporary all the way up to designing a whole fucking world, I wish to do very little persuading. You just have to know Ruth E. Carter. Reading her humble story helps.
Profile Image for Vnunez-Ms_luv2read.
899 reviews27 followers
April 17, 2023
I love this book. Great insight on the woman behind such classic stylings in African American movies. I love the format of the book in how you not only see the sketches, but you also are given commentary on the clothing. I have always been a fan of this talented woman and was very happy when she received her Oscar. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on my review.
Profile Image for Tanya.
597 reviews9 followers
July 17, 2023
Quick read, you come here for the art, including Carter's sketches and character renderings. I wish it had gone a little deeper into her working methods. I think costume designers are the unsung heroes of the movies and Carter has proved herself a superhero, no pun intended. Read it on my large tablet so I could really appreciate her concept sketches. Her use of knitted garments (the School Daze sweater, Nakia's wrap in Black Panther) is exemplary.

Recommended if you love costume design.
Profile Image for Tameeka.
388 reviews3 followers
February 25, 2023
Ruth E. Carter is a costume design LEGEND. I know that she has done some amazing work through the years but I had forgotten how extensive it is. Her Oscar was long overdue. I loved seeing her sketches and hearing about her creative process. How important it is for Ruth E. Carter to ensure that her creations stay true to the culture, time period, etc that is being represented in the film.
1 review
February 1, 2023
Absolutely stunning book both verbally and visually. I am so glad that Ruth E. Carter did not get the acting job because her true gift lies in her eye and artistic costuming. Thank you for writing this book and for NetGalley offering this book to its members.
Profile Image for B.
360 reviews
March 2, 2024
This beautiful book gave me so much insight into the creative process and its results of one of the most talented costume designers in the business. I'm so glad I picked this up. I really feel like I understand Mrs. Carter's work now better than I ever did before.
Profile Image for kathryn.
376 reviews19 followers
June 5, 2024
this woman is a legend for a reason and i'm so glad that i was able to see her costumes in person 2 years ago. where is the 900 page long wakanda city design book tho ruth is the only one to ever talk about it but i want that in my hands NOW
Profile Image for Jason.
714 reviews20 followers
December 26, 2023
Solid and detailed look into Ruth Carter's film history and design archives. Also a reminder of a number of films I still need to check out. (e-galley from NetGalley)
Profile Image for Claudia.
108 reviews2 followers
May 4, 2024
This was basically a picture book with a personal bio attached. It's ok. Ruth E. Carter is a costume designer responsible for costuming some of the most iconic Black-led films of the past few decades, notably Black Panther and its sequel. It was cool to get a backstage look since I've always been interested in costume design. The book itself was beautiful but maybe a little bit fluffy–it's super richly colorful with a gorgeous pattern sprayed on the sides, but the chapters are separated by huge blank pages with nothing on them but chapter titles. Definitely worth a look if you're interested in costuming.
Profile Image for Diane Rembert.
1,269 reviews43 followers
March 21, 2025
This book is also a Black History Moment. Ruth E Carter is the first black person to win an Oscar for costume design for the movie Black Panther. Her body of work includes:

School Daze
Do The Right Thing
Malcolm X
Amistad
What's Love Got To Do It
Sparkle
Meteor Man
I'm Gonna Get You Sucka
Black Dolemite
Daddy Day Care
Bamboozled
How Stella Got Her Grove Back
B.A.P.S
Jungle Fever
Mo' Better Blues
Chi-Raq
Baby Boy
Coming 2 America
Shaft
Marshall
Black Panther
Wakanda Forever

Purchase🔗: https://amzn.to/3CKDt34

This book made me appreciate all of the hard work that goes into the costumes for these movies and I plan to go back and watch them thru her eyes. This book should be on the bookshelf of every filmmaker.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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