Black Design Collective Honors Ruth E. Carter

Ruth E. Carter

By Darlene Donloe

The Black Design Collective (BDC), an organization established to promote and support the work of fashion designers and costumers trying to navigate the industry, honored Academy Award-winner Ruth E. Carter during a gala recently at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM).

Carter, who won an Oscar for her groundbreaking costumes on Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther was feted at the star-studded soiree for her body of work, which includes Malcolm X, Being Mary Jane, Selma, Amistad, Do the Right Thing and more.  Her Oscar® win made her the first African American woman to take home the coveted prize in the Costume Design category.  She is currently brainstorming her next project, Coming to America 2, starring Eddie Murphy.  The project will reunite the two.

“We didn’t have those mentors like you see here today with the Black Design Collective,’ said Carter. “We were out there getting our work done - struggling to have our designs seen. And now here comes an organization that is all about support and inclusion. We should support that in every single, solitary way because they’re important.”

(l-r) Kevan Hall, Tina Knowles-Lawson, Angela Dean, Thomas 'TJ' Walker, and Beverly Johnson

Founders of the newly created collective include designer Kevan Hall and fellow designers Angela Dean, and Thomas ‘TJ’ Walker. They started the organization to not only support established designers but also to raise money for students at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in downtown L.A. 

Thomas 'TJ' Walker  

Hall said the event was important because it amplifies the talent and importance of black designers.

“We thought it was important to celebrate Ruth,” said Hall. “We started this project a year and a half ago. We wanted to amplify her and show her body of work. Fast forward, the movie The Black Panther came out and now she has an Oscar®. That wasn’t the case a year and a half ago. We just wanted to celebrate our friend. We wanted to give scholarships to deserving students and wanted to bring them up.”

Devert Monet Hickman

During the gala, Devert Monet Hickman became the first recipient of a BDC $10,000 scholarship.

“This is just amazing,” said Hickman, a former dancer in The LionKing and Cirque du Soleil.  “I’m not just happy for me, I’m happy for all Black designers. This scholarship and recognition mean so much to me.”

Kevan Hall

The criteria was their grade point average,” said Hall. “They also had to write an essay about what changes they’d like to see in fashion. They had to present their portfolio to the founding members. They had to show us what their skill level was and what they wanted to do and what they wanted to do in their future. The criteria for the scholarship was their grade point average. They also had to write an essay about what changes they’d like to see in fashion. They had to present their portfolio to the founding members. They had to show us what their skill level was and what they wanted to do and what they wanted to do in their future.”

In addition, the evening kicked off the newly established partnership between the Black Design Collective and title sponsor, AT&T, with their Believe Los Angeles initiative. Believe Los Angeles is a grassroots employee-driven campaign committed to supporting workforce development, career readiness programs, with a special emphasis on digital media and entertainment employment opportunities for underserved students in Los Angeles, especially diverse millennials. The goal of Believe Los Angeles is to increase the number of diverse storytellers in the entertainment industry, both in front of and behind the camera, with a special emphasis on digital media and entertainment employment opportunities for diverse millennials in Los Angeles. 

“AT&T is proud to be the title sponsor of the Black Design Collective’s Scholarship Kickoff event,” said Rhonda Johnson, president of AT&T California. “We believe that the Black Design Collective’s mission of creating a platform to amplify and support the work of black designers is essential and aligns perfectly with our Believe Los Angeles initiative.”

(l-r) Margaret Avery, Gabrielle Union, and Anna Maria Horsford

Celebs on hand for the celebration included Congresswoman Maxine Waters, former Senator Diane Watson, Mykelti Williamson, Yolanda Adams, Loretta Divine, Margaret Avery, A.C. Green, Beverly Johnson, former Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry, Tina Knowles-Lawson, Councilman Curren Price, Roshumba Williams, NBC4’s Beverly White and Gabrielle Union, who praised Carter for her work on BET’s Being Mary Jane as well as other projects.

Gabrielle Union

 “You don’t get inspired or excited about Mary Jane without Ruth” said Union. “She sets a tone. We should celebrate her every day, Union said on the red carpet. “She’s just incredible. She’s been a huge part of my career from the very beginning. And she continues to allow us to shine and do what we do best and kill it. She doesn’t talk about it, she is about it.”

Celebs were singing the praises of Carter throughout the evening.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters

“Ruth Carter is a fantastically creative woman who has paid her dues,” said Congresswoman Maxine Waters. “She has worked her way to this part in her life. She deserves to be respected and honored by everybody. I appreciate the whole idea of providing mentorships for other young designers coming up.”

Loretta Devine

Actress Loretta Devine worked with Carter on BET’s Being Mary Jane.

“Ruth knows what she’s doing,” said Devine who worked with the costumer on Being Mary Jane. “She can always add to the character. When I was on Being Mary Jane and I had to play a butch character, she had it perfect from the top to the bottom. It made all the difference in the success of the character.”

Mykelti Williamson and family

“Actors don’t even know who characters are until they are asked to put that costume on,” said Mykelti Williamson. “And Ruth Carter is one of those people when you talk to her about what you’ve been thinking and you listen to what she wants to bring to the character, you put it together and you get dressed – you are that character. Ruth is tremendous. She’s phenomenal. She’s been in service to a lot of us for a very long time. And we love her. I saw her name, I made it my business to be here. Everything she does, she gets better. She has no boundaries. She’s one of those people who can do anything.  She can do sci-fi, thriller, comedy, she can do period pieces. She can do anything.”