The BAFTAs may have turned a blind eye to the brilliance of legendary costume designer Ruth E. Carter, but a jury of her peers see the light. Recognizing her incredible artistry in Black Panther, Carter has been nominated for a 2019 Costume Designers Guild Award for Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film for her work on the blockbuster. As reported by Entertainment Weekly, the veteran designer, who was honored by Wall Street Journal Magazine with a 2018 Innovator Award for Design in November, was previously announced as the recipient of this year’s Career Achievement award at the ceremony, which will take place on Tuesday, February 19.
And no wonder; Carter, whose costuming career took off in 1998 with Spike Lee’s School Daze, has also been the visionary co-creating the look of acclaimed films like Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, BlacKkKlansman, The Butler, and Selma, amongst the 63 film credits she currently holds.
Also nominated this year is BlacKkKlansman’s Marci Rodgers, a tremendous accomplishment for the designer’s sixth credit in two years as lead costume designer. (Rodgers also leads the team on Netflix’s She’s Gotta Have It Reboot.) Rodgers will compete against some industry heavyweights in the Period Film Category, including award-winning Sandy Powell, who is a double nominee for The Favourite and Mary Poppins, Mary Queen of Scots designer Alexandra Byrne, and Bohemian Rhapsody designer Julian Day.
Fun fact: Rodgers’ first film credit was earned assisting Carter in the costuming of 2015's Chi-Raq.