Black Panther costumes

“How are we able to use technology so we can be a part of what shapes tomorrow? When you can sit for your own purpose, you’re crafting your tomorrow.” – Marvel Studios’ Black Panther costume designer Ruth E. Carter

Black Panther costume from Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Civil War

Ryan Meinerding / Judianna Makovsky, USA, 2016

body suit and gloves (silk screened nylon elastane with cast urethane details), helmet (cast urethane)

©Marvel Studios 2016. All Rights Reserved

Chadwick Boseman’s first appearance as T’Challa/Black Panther in Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Civil War (2016) introduces not just a hero but a future vision of African identity. Costume designer Judianna Makovsky, alongside Marvel’s Head of Visual Development Ryan Meinerding, designed a suit blending traditional African motifs with cutting-edge technology. It’s made with the Wakandan material, Vibranium, and shines with silver, showing T’Challa’s royal heritage. The silver claw necklace represents his status as a prince. The sleek, 3D-printed design incorporates Wakandan patterns to celebrate his cultural roots.

This first costume was inspired by Jack Kirby’s original comics and his bulkier design. The concept sketches of Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) and Shuri (Letitia Wright) show the different physical and emotional attributes of their characters when they each become Black Panther.

Boseman wore this suit again in Marvel Studios’ Black Panther (2018), where T’Challa receives an upgrade from his sister, Shuri. The new costume, designed by Ruth E. Carter, features a triangle motif symbolising “the sacred geometry of Africa”, blending Afrofuturism with deep cultural meaning and tradition. The second costume reflects the character’s strength, dignity and pride, showcasing the connection between costume and character design.

Queen Ramonda costume from Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

Ruth E. Carter, USA, 2022

gown (silk velvet with metallic embroidery and silk-screened border detail), underskirts (silk-screened nylon tulle, ombre silk charmeuse), lining (silk-screened silk crepe de chine), headdress (3D-printed structure, metallic details)

©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved

In Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) shows her power through her clothes. When she enters the United Nations, she wears a purple and gold gown, with a collar and an isicholo, a traditional Zulu hat. The gold parts of her outfit show she is the ruler of Wakanda.

Costume designer Ruth E. Carter worked again with 3D-printing artist Julia Koerner, who also helped on the first film. The patterns on her isicholo and collar were inspired by the Ndebele people of South Africa. Bold jewellery by Douriean Fletcher makes Ramonda look even more powerful. Carter’s design makes it clear – this is the queen.

Shuri warrior costume from Marvel Studios’ Black Panther

Ruth E Carter, USA, 2018

jumpsuit (silk screened nylon elastaine), skirt (silk screened cotton mud cloth), collar (soft cast urethane), armbands (leather and cast urethane), panther mits (cast urethane)

Okoye warrior costume from Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

body suit (nylon, elastane, leather, wood, beads), leggings (silk screened nylon elastane), skirt and tabard (leather, ceramic beads), necklace, neck rings, arm bands (metal rings, metal beads, metal plates, cast urethane rings)

©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.

Ruth E. Carter’s costumes for Marvel Studios’ Black Panther (2018) reimagine African tradition with a vibrant, futuristic twist. Her vision was shaped by the idea of an African nation untouched by colonisation, boldly looking forward while honouring its past. In her studio, she displayed the words “beautiful, positive, forward and colourful” to guide her design process.

The Wakandan special forces, known as the Dora Milaje, wear uniforms that project heritage and power. Their costumes draw from various influences, including Masai warriors, Samurai, ninjas, and the Filipino Ifugao tribe, showcasing Wakanda’s global inspirations. The gold and silver accents are inspired by the Ndebele people’s jewellery to signify rank, with General Okoye’s (Danai Gurira) gold marking indicating her leadership.

Carter’s use of red, influenced by the Masai and Turkana people, enhances the Dora’s strength and presence. South African artisans crafted leather harnesses, while intricate beadwork personalises each uniform, symbolising heirlooms passed down through generations. These costumes connect the characters to living traditions, blending ancient craft with futuristic style.

Carter earned an Academy Award for Costume Design for Black Panther, propelling African fashion and Afrofuturism into the spotlight, and inspiring a new generation of storytellers and costume designers.

Illustrated origins of Black Panther

Black Panther was created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby. The sketches you see are some of the earliest designs of Black Panther, who was originally named the Coal Tiger. Kirby’s bold and dynamic art style introduced futuristic technology and architectural designs that combined tribal aesthetics with sci-fi elements. Although Black Panther wasn’t initially seen as an example of Afrofuturism, Kirby’s artwork set the stage for the genre’s later influence. His work challenged Western-centric narratives and highlighted African advancement, paving the way for future stories.

Screen to comics

After Marvel Studios’ Black Panther (2018) came out, the Black Panther and Shuri comics started using ideas from the film’s visual style and Afrofuturist vision. In the Shuri comics, she was shown as a technological genius, with a focus on her inventions and how she interacts with Wakandan tech. The Shuri series was written by Afrofuturist author Nnedi Okorafor.

Ruth E. Carter’s amazing design in Black Panther worked well with artist Leonardo Romero’s comic style. Carter used bright colours, symbolic shapes and Afrocentric designs to help shape Wakanda’s identity as a place where cultural heritage and advanced technology come together perfectly.

Fantastic Four and Black Panther comics

It’s important that Black Panther first appeared in Marvel Comics’ Fantastic Four #52 (1966). The Fantastic Four was known for its nostalgic and hopeful view of futuristic technology and space exploration, reflecting the retrofuturist style and optimism of the 1960s. Jack Kirby introduced Wakanda as a technologically advanced and independent Black nation, which challenged the stereotype of Africa as ‘backward’. This placed the character in a sci-fi setting that later developed into a unique Afrofuturist vision. The contrast between the Fantastic Four’s retrofuture and Wakanda’s advanced technology made T’Challa’s identity even stronger, showing him as a link between African traditions and futuristic ideas.