'Black Panther' Costume Designer Draws On 'The Sacred Geometry Of Africa'

Black Panther is the latest offering from Marvel and Disney — if you don't already know the story, here's quick synopsis: It's about T'Challa, the superhero Black Panther and the king of Wakanda, an isolated, technologically advanced African country that sits upon a rich deposit of the metal vibranium, the strongest substance in the Marvel world.

When you see the movie, you'll notice quickly how Wakanda looks like the future: It's full of details like healing tables and hovercraft, all powered by vibranium. But if you look at the costumes, you can see that that Wakanda's Afro-futurism is grounded in the past.
Designer Ruth Carter — whose previous films include Selma, Malcolm X and Roots — pulled colors, shapes, jewelry, and textures from tribes all over Africa. She says she wanted to tell a story "of brilliance, royalty, intrigue — you name it. I feel that you can tell a story through clothing."

One detail Carter particularly likes is in the Black Panther suit worn by Chadwick Boseman, who plays T'Challa. The suit was created by Marvel character designer Ryan Meinerding, but the fabric has a triangular surface pattern that's all Carter.

"That triangle is the sacred geometry of Africa," Carter says. "I call that pattern the 'Okavango' pattern. I felt that it made his suit have this character that would, in the wide shots, make him this superhero but in the close-up, you see this beautiful pattern that is consistent with a lot of the art of Africa and would turn him into this African king."

SOURCE :- npr