It's Women's History Month, so let’s look at Ruth E. Carter, in the fashion world of film making waves. Do you recall her name and why you should be familiar? Well Ms. Ruth has won 2 Oscars from the Acadmey of Motion Pictures for her Afrofuturist costumes for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” and for the 2018 film “Black Panther.” She is not only the first Black woman to win two Academy Awards, but she is also the first person to win for both the original and the sequel of a movie. If you watched the Oscars you know that upon receiving her award, she greeted the audience with a “Nice to see you again,” and thanked the academy for “recognizing the superhero that is a Black woman,” she said. “She endures, she loves, she overcomes.”
Denzel Washington made history as the first Black man to win two Oscars — one in 1990 for “Glory” and another in 2002 for “Training Day.” And following his footsteps, Ruth Carter made history as the first Black woman to win an Oscar for costume design in 2019 ,and this year 2023 she received her second. She had received earlier nominations for Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X” and Steven Spielberg’s “Amistad.”
What does it take to become a costume designer for film or theater?
From Dorothy’s ruby slippers to Indiana Jones’ famous fedora, to Queen’s regal Headdress’s, costume designers throughout the history of film and continue to bring our favorite characters to life through fashion. If you’re a go-getter who loves storytelling, collaboration, research, and of course, clothes, becoming a costume designer might be a natural fit. Read on to learn about the responsibilities and details of pursuing this care
Costume Designer Defined
Costume designers design identify sources/research, and create the clothing and accessories to be worn by the characters in a film, tv series, or theatrical production. The costume designer is tasked with conveying visually who a character is based on their attire. A costume is what you see first about the character and informs audiences of important details within the story that′s about to unfold.
To accomplish this, the designers—who head the wardrobe department are responsible for staffing and managing the team—requiring them to tap into their inner psychologist, sociologist, researcher, historian, and actor. Juggling all these factors helps them to design, create, compile, and fit the most appropriate outfits and accessories for each character while supporting the intention of the narrative and the director’s vision.
What Distinguishes A Fashion designer from A Costume Designer?
Both positions encompass designing clothing, fashion designers create clothing that is sold to the general public. Costume designers, on the other hand, create clothing for film, TV, and theatrical productions.
A costume designer’s day is demanding. During pre-production they are engaged with reading the script, taking notes and analyzing the plot, tone, and setting of the project. They also coordinate daily responsibilities, schedules, and deadlines for the production team, and are hands-on during fittings.
Though the design portion of a costumer’s job is technically finished once the cameras are rolling, they’re always on standby—and usually on set during production in case alterations or repairs are required.
Tasks required of A Costume Designer:
• Analysis: Costume designers analyze the script, talk to the director, and put together visual references before designing and assembling looks. As costume designers read the script, identifying each character they consider them as clients for whom they are creating a wardrobe.
• Research: The designer researches relevant fashion history and must dig into the culture and vibe of the story’s setting.
• Designing: The designer’s research and prep work often correlates with the creation of sketches, fabric samples, digital renderings, and mood boards that show the types of clothing, materials, and patterns suitable to the project.
• Planning: The costumer sketches/creates digital renderings for the costume plot, which lists characters and tracks their costumes, scene-by-scene, for each.
• Production: Once, the designs are approved the costumer created every shirt, dress, necklace, and hat worn by every single actor—all while ensuring the costumes can help the actors better express their characters.
And together the designer with the actor in full costume breathe life into the characters, and the film is complete.