Marvel Comic’s Black Panther Movie is breaking records , and gives interesting visuals for what Mark Dery’s  “Afrofuturism” could look like. The costumes  by two-time Oscar nominee Ruth E. Carter are inspired by the beautiful and rich heritage of all the cultures within the continent of Africa. The amazing on screen fashion visuals captured in this movie has already inspired a slew of red carpet looks. It’s me Orly Schwartz, of Zahavi & Schwartz, LLC, and I’ve curated several looks from the film, and  transformed them into what they would look like when shopping in your everyday clothing store. First up…

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T’Challa & Shuri

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Starting off with our hero, the Black Panther himself, T’Challa, you can see that costume designer, Ruth wanted to put this character in civilian form rooted in the tradition of Wakanda. Taking this into account, I found this handsome African top from Kisua, a unique brand that collaborates with African designers all over the continent. The pants are fitted black trousers from Haggar; however they are made with Repreve fabric. Which is a fabric made from recycled plastic bottles. It’s cool to know there are companies committed to sustainability, new technology, sourcing/creating fair trade, or just being transparent about their production. Take these luxurious Odara Ade African loafers and Shinola watch. The shoes are produced and sourced in Africa, while Shinola sources globally, and assembles all watches in the United States! I threw The THRIVE Bracelet, to top it off. This bracelet is in collaboration with the Same Sky Foundation, which connects purchasers with sustainable social change through education and employment.

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T’challa Inspired Outfit 

source/shopping  top, bottom, shoes, watch , bracelet

In the same photo is our favored Princess Shuri, whom ypu can clearly tell Ruth felt inspired by her brains and strength to be an innovator even through her costume. She is quoted in Vulture, “…That this is Wakanda, and they’re very eco-friendly, and they care about their country and their environment. She would be the one that would figure out a way to create a vibrant fabric that was a result of recycling.” So with that I decided to do a colorful look filled with sustainability and technology. The dress is by the brand DPipertwins. The simple shape keeps it modern, while the bright colors pull roots from their parent’s Caribbean and African Heritage. I wanted to add some cool factor and send a message with the Veda for Reformation Leather Jacket! We know Shuri would for sure remind others to think of Mother Earth first! I felt that she would wear the Adidas Replay sneakers made from 20% recycled bottles when walking about or while putting her creativity to use in her lab. However, she may need these fun pumps from Brother Vellies by Aurora James, both shoes pair great with the completely cruelty free/vegan Stella McCartney bag. I kept jewelry simple layering two necklaces in gold/silver tons from the ABLE brand. ABLE is a lifestyle brand focused on ending generational poverty, by creating jobs for women who have been through braved extraordinary circumstances. The earrings are hand-made from Africa, which I found via the UNICEF store.

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Shuri Inspired Outfit 

Source/Shopping Jacket, dress, pumps, sneakers, earrings, handbag,necklace 1, necklace 2  ,

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Queen of Wakanda, Ramonda

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Now for the Queen of Wakanda, Ramonda, aka Angela Basset is not only stunningly gorgeous and a talented actress but she could inspire many through her Activism work as well.  She was perfectly casted for this role, and Ruth’s brilliant choice to 3-d print a Zulu inspired headpiece was where I decided to pull inspiration for the outfit below.  Starting with a chic and sustainable jacket from Shipper whom partners with Nest, a non-profit that connects designers to sustainable production and  with artisans from around the world. Danit Peleg has created the possibility of wearable 3D-printed clothing much like Ramonda’s Hat. Wearing the reformation slip underneath, allows for some modesty, and brings forth the ivory of the coat. Since I could not find a head that felt right for the look, I added embellishment with these stunning tassel earrings from Sachi & Babi, that were designed in NY and made in Mumbai. I paired it all with this exquisite clutch from Bea Valdes, everything is made-to-order in their Manila, Philippines based studio. And these Queenly shoes are from Brother Vellies by Aurora James.

Ramonda Inspired Outfit 

Source /shopping Jacket, 3D printed Dress , Slip Dress, Earrings, Heels, Clutch

Dora Milaje

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The Dora Milaje, the army of female body guards that protected Wakanda is a statement in itself of the strong power of the role women played throughout the Black Panther movie. These particular costumes were inspired by African and Filipino artifacts as well as Samurai uniforms; per Anthony Francisco to Buzzfeed. How could I not create a look based on the show-stopping warrior armors, especially the leader Okoye. These pants by African Designer William Opko incorporated the perfect color from the Dora Milaje.  I imagine that today’s warriors are on the streets, so it’s best to keep this a casual look. The Top is from reformation, and the harness is from NYC designer Zana Bayne. Now this look could use either the Veja sneakers (committed to sustainability) or you have the option to dress up the look and channel Princess Shuri with these Rothy flats made out of recycled plastic. The necklace and cuff are 3-D printed from Etsy shop XoverO. To pull the look together this black and white bag from Akila is perfectly on trend this one was designed and produced in Ghana.

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Dora Milaje Inspired outfit 

Source/Shopping Top, Jeans, Harness, Sneakers, Flats, Necklace, Cuff, Bag

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All Black Panther photos are the property of Marvel

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