Queen Of The Screen: Ruth E. Carter Is The Academy Award Nominated Costume Designer Behind Your Favorite Films’ Winning Wardrobes

Ruth E Carter honored at the Costume Designers Guild Awards

Source: Amy Sussman/ Getty Images for CDGA / Getty

Ruth E. Carter Nominated For Best Costume Design At Academy Awards

This Black History Month we have been sharing stories of notable black women worthy of so much love and recognition and costume designer Ruth E. Carter definitely fits the bill! Carter is currently nominated for the Best Costume Design award at this Sunday’s Academy Awards for the work she accomplished with ‘Black Panther’. This is actually her third nomination (her first was in 1993 for her work on Spike Lee’s Malcolm X).

Source: Stefanie Keenan/ Getty Images for CDGA / Getty

Carter was also honored with the career achievement award Tuesday night at the Costume Designers Guild Awards. Judith Light, Halle Berry and Danai Gurira were there to present her.

“Some of your peers get awards all the time or are at the top of the heap, and you’re trying to climb your way up. You wonder what they think of you and your films. You wonder if they’ve been watching,” Carter said in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter about the honor. “So that’s, to me, the affirming award that says ‘We love you.'”

Source: Stefanie Keenan/ Getty Images for CDGA / Getty

Carter told HR the best recognition she could receive is from the kids who proudly sported Black Panther costumes last Halloween, after years of America prioritizing Superman, Batman and Spiderman.

“When we designed a superhero that was a black man and a kingdom that was in Africa, it took those children to a place where they could claim and they could fly. And it’s the best honor anybody could ever be bestowed,” Carter says. “They knew the spirit and they all secretly hoped some of the Black Panther power would be bestowed on them just by wearing the clothes. … They were so ready for it. We knew they were ready for it. And we gave it to them.” She added that catering to Marvel fans has raised the bar for her work: “I was working for Marvel, I was like ‘Oh my God, I’ve got fans to answer to.'”