Black Panther's costume designer, Ruth E. Carter evidently did a lot of research on the authentic African cultural wear and traditions. She was able to select from an eclectic range of cultures in Africa, and infuse them perfectly for each of the actors. Here, we uncover a bit more about the incredible Afrocentric attire and where in Africa they draw their inspiration from:

1. The Maasai Print Inspiration

Source: iflymagazine.com
The Masai people are a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting southern Kenya and mostly reside near many game parks and are well-known for their rich culture and distinct clothing; the red, blue, black, striped, and chequered shukas. They often use the spear and arrows for defence and their women have shaved heads; much like Danai Gurira, who played Dora Milaje, and the female warriors in Black Panther.

2. Zulu Headdress/Isicholos

Queen Ramonda/Queen Mother played by Angela Basset wore a distinct headdress which is reminiscent of the Zulu flared hats or "Isicholos" from South Africa. They were traditionally worn by married women for ceremonial celebrations.

3. Tuareg Scarfs

Multiple characters in the movie wore scarfs that are traditionally worn by the Tuareg community. The community inhabit North and West Africa.

4. Basotho Blankets

Daniel Kaluuya who plays W'Kabi is seen to wrap himself in Basotho blankets which are originally from Lesotho. They would be worn by members of the royal family and traditionally made from wool.

5. Mgbedike Mask

The helmet mask that Erik Kilmonger (played by Michael B. Jordan) stole from the museum is reminiscent to the mask traditionally worn by the Igbo from Nigeria which when translated means "time of the brave".

6. Lip Plates

These were traditionally worn by The Mursi and Surma (Suri) women of Ethiopia and are made of large pottery or wooden discs or 'plates' in their lower lips. Traditionally, the larger the lip plate, the higher the bride price.

7. Red Earthy Toned Colours

Majority of the costumes have a red earthy tone, which is common amongst the Himba People of North-Western Namibia. They are known to apply a red ochre paste known as "otjize" to their skin and hair.

8. Masques

There was a lot of inspiration drawn from the Dogon people. Dogon are an ethnic group living in the central plateau region of Mali, in West Africa.
Haven't caught up with Black Panther yet? Grab your ticket here: Kenyabuzz.com/movies