‘Black Panther: Welcome to Wakanda’ Fashion Event Features 10 Designers

Lisa Lockwood

Updated Thu, February 1, 2018 at 5:01 AM UTC

“Black Panther: Welcome to Wakanda,” a nod to the fashion inspired by the new superhero movie, will be presented by Marvel Studios on Feb. 12 as part of New York Fashion Week.

The red carpet event takes place at Industria at 775 Washington Street from 8 to 10 p.m., and several stars from the movie are expected to attend.

Designers including Chromat, Cushnie et Ochs, Fear of God, Ikiré Jones, Laquan Smith, Sophie Theallet and Tome worked with Marvel Studios to create one-of-a-kind pieces interpreting different characters and themes from the movie. The designers were selected for their dedication to empowerment and individualism through fashion.

The seven bespoke pieces will be unveiled the night of the event and installed in a Wakanda-inspired venue that guests can explore. Following the event, the looks will be auctioned off via Charitybuzz.com in support of Save the Children.

Jones called the experience “awesome and great.”

“I was honored, and I saw the film with my partner. It’s an attempt to help uplift the voices of people who have been marginalized historically and in the present day, both in the U.S. and globally, and Ikiré Jones specifically does that by using fashion as a vehicle to address these issues. It’s beautiful aesthetics, but it’s a subversive way to talk about the refugee crises, globalization, ethical waste, ethical labor and labor practices,” he said.

For the event, he designed a men’s wear outfit, including one of the brand’s telltale scarves with a paisley overcoat and an art print suit, which has a mix of Renaissance art meets African aesthetics on it.

“Working with people like Marvel is literally a big deal, which is fun, and for me, given my background, the extra layer of it of being an exciting thing to have a cultural representation that’s not generally seen on this scale is doubly exciting,” Jones said. “It’s just a really fun film and I think it’s going to do really, really well.”

In addition, “Black Panther”-inspired capsule collections from Brother Vellies, Douriean Fletcher and Josh Bennett will be on display at the event, and will be available to purchase on the brands’ respective web sites beginning Feb. 13.

“Black Panther,” which premiered in Los Angeles Monday night, will be released in the U.S. on Feb. 16. Early buzz has been very positive.

“Black Panther” is the first superhero movie to star a black lead character, played by Chadwick Boseman, and a majority black cast. Among the cast members are Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Michael B. Jordan, Martin Freeman, Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Forest Whitaker and Winston Duke.

The movie’s costumes were designed by Oscar-nominated costume designer Ruth E. Carter, who sought inspiration in Africa, where she did her research, studying patterns, colors, beadwork and silhouettes. “We wanted to explore and create the afrofuture-idyllic concept with Wakanda and make it a world like we have not seen before in cinema,” Carter said.

“Each of our partners has taken inspiration from the incredible storytelling, empowering characters and iconic look of the movie, while bringing their own unique aesthetic to each design,” said Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media.

The premise of the movie is that after the events of “Captain America: Civil War,” King T’Challa — played by Boseman — returns home to Wakanda, where two enemies plot to bring down the kingdom. T’Challa, as the Black Panther, must join with CIA agent Everett K. Ross and members of the Dora Milaje, Wakanda’s special forces, to prevent a world war.

Sponsors of the Feb. 12 event are Redken Fifth Avenue New York and Lanc?me, which will exclusively create hair and makeup looks for the models, and Lexus, whose 2018 LC Inspired car is featured in “Black Panther.”

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‘Black Panther: Welcome to Wakanda’ Fashion Event Features 10 Designers

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