Black PR Wire Power Profiler on Ruth E. Carter, Costume Designer

Ruth E. Carter is a trailblazing, two-time Academy Award-winning American costume designer.

She made history as the first Black person to win the Academy Award for best costume design for Black Panther (2018). She later repeated that achievement with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), becoming the first Black woman to win multiple Academy Awards in any category and the first costume designer to win for both a film and its sequel. Most recently, Carter became the most-nominated Black woman in Oscar history after earning her fifth nomination for Sinners in 2026.

With more than three decades in the industry and over 70 credits across film, television and theater, Carter has built one of the most influential careers in costume design. She has collaborated with acclaimed directors including Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg, Ava DuVernay and Ryan Coogler, shaping the visual identity of projects that span generations and genres. Her work includes culturally significant films such as Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, What’s Love Got to Do With It, Amistad, Selma, Dolemite Is My Name, Coming 2 America, the Black Panther franchise and Sinners. Through thoughtful, research-driven design, Carter brings depth and authenticity to stories, particularly those centered on Black history and identity.

Her career has earned widespread industry recognition, including Academy Award nominations for Malcolm X and Amistad and an Emmy nomination for the 2016 reboot of Roots. In 2019, she received the Costume Designers Guild Career Achievement Award, followed by a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2021.

In her hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts, Carter has also been recognized for her contributions to the arts and her lasting community impact. A mural honoring her life and career is displayed at Rebecca Johnson Elementary School, and she was awarded the key to the city in 2021.

Her influence extends beyond the screen through education and cultural engagement. Carter’s traveling exhibition, Afrofuturism in Costume Design, showcases more than 70 costumes from her career and offers insight into her creative process. She is also the author of “The Art of Ruth E. Carter”, released in 2023.

A graduate of Hampton University, Carter has received multiple honorary doctorates recognizing her impact on film, fashion and cultural preservation.

As the film industry prepares for the Academy Awards on March 15, Carter’s latest nomination highlights her enduring influence and the cultural significance of her work. Her legacy continues to inspire a new generation of women, especially Black women, to pursue creative leadership, honor their stories and leave a lasting mark across industries and history.