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Early on in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett) makes her grand entrance into a United Nations council meeting. Now ruler of the highly advanced African nation after the death of her son T’Challa (the late Chadwick Boseman), she wields fashion as diplomacy in a royal purple and gold halter gown, accented with a regal collar matching the gilded panel on her isicholo, the traditional hat for a South African Zulu married woman. Ramonda delivers sharp, precise words for the white Western nations, rapacious for Wakanda’s vibranium, and shames them on the global stage.
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“It’s a bold choice to not walk in with a business suit on,” says Ruth E. Carter, who made history as the first Black costume designer to win an Oscar with her stunning world-building work in 2018’s Black Panther. “It’s more of her claiming her power — and her position in the world — and being very unapologetic. [It’s a] metaphor: to bare arms and to just take on your own strength and power.”
Carter reteamed with 3D-printing artist Julia Koerner, who created Ramonda’s majestic ivory isicholo and shoulder mantle in the first film, to design a more elaborate series of commanding headpieces and coordinating accoutrements. Carter explains that the striation of diamond and triangle linework on the isicholo and collar (above)represent the South African Ndebele people. Specialty jeweler Douriean Fletcher designed the bold stone earrings and collar embellishment. “I wanted you to recognize her, right away, as this is the queen,” says Carter.
When confronting adversary Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejía), who ultimately just wants to protect his people in the underwater realm of Talokan, Ramonda sets the tone for her negotiations in a celestial caped gown. “She has her queenly silhouette — and she wants him to know who she is,” says Carter, who ornamented an “overdyed” peach brocade with “silver paintwork.” Ramonda’s metallic isicholo and bustier-like “chest armor” communicate the force of Wakanda’s vibranium, as well as her own.
Queen Ramonda also power-dresses as head of state in the palace. To strategize with Wakandan elders in the Tribal Council, she literally takes up space in a voluminous vibranium-hued gown, with one bishop sleeve and asymmetrical draping. “She’s sitting in the seat that T’Challa sat in, and I didn’t want her to shrink,” says Carter. “I didn’t want her to be the femme fatale sitting in the king’s throne. I really wanted her to embody it.”
Ramonda’s silver collar necklace, with a scarab and mask, portrays her connection to her people — even through backstory. “I love the touch that [Atlanta-based jeweler Baba G’s] work gives to this whole creative world of Wakanda,” says Carter. “Because he would be a Wakandan, who was making something for the queen.”
Later, Ramonda metes out punishment to Okoye (Danai Gurira), after the Dora Milaje special forces leader loses Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) to Namor. The queen’s crimson beaded and embroidered cape gown, custom-built in collaboration with JJ Valaya, further emphasizes her anger, devastation and strength. (The Delhi-based designer also built Ramonda’s U.N. gown and her funeral robe, embroidered with Ndebele designs.)
“[Director] Ryan Coogler really thought that red would be the perfect color because we would have the Dora behind her,” says Carter. “You could imagine that she could have been a Dora at some point — maybe! That’s just coming from me, but that’s what I felt like on the day when I looked at her. She’s leading this powerful force of women.”
This story first appeared in a December stand-alone issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
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