HBCU Icon Ruth E. Carter’s Free Costume Design Masterclass Relaunches Aug. 17
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Posted By: P C on August 12, 2026 The Hampton University graduate and two-time Academy Award winner is helping open doors for the next generation of creatives through PLC Detroit and its online platform, ePLC When Ruth E. Carter became the first Black person to win the Academy Award for costume design, her historic achievement represented far more than an individual milestone. For generations of Black creatives who had rarely seen themselves represented at the highest levels of the profession, it expanded what seemed possible. Carter went on to make history again as the first Black woman to win two Academy Awards in any category, and following her nomination for Sinners, she became the most-nominated Black woman in Academy Awards history. There is something especially powerful about an HBCU graduate who has reached the pinnacle of her profession intentionally helping create access for the generation coming next. Now, the Hampton University graduate is doing exactly that. Following the success of its inaugural eight-week program, Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design (PLC Detroit), the nation’s only design-focused HBCU, is relaunching the Ruth E. Carter Masterclass by adidas | ePLC on Aug. 17. The FREE online costume design course gives aspiring costume designers, storytellers and creatives an opportunity to learn from Carter’s creative methodologies regardless of where they live. Carter also serves as PLC Detroit’s first artist-in-residence. For many aspiring Black creatives, talent has never been the issue. Access to industry professionals, specialized education, mentorship and professional networks can be much harder to find, particularly for those who do not live in traditional creative hubs such as Los Angeles or New York. The masterclass is designed to help close some of that distance. Carter’s HBCU roots make the program particularly meaningful. She has built a career spanning more than three decades and more than 70 credits across film, television and theater. Her work includes Malcolm X, Amistad, Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Sinners, among many others. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated that costume design is much more than clothing. Through research, cultural authenticity, history and imagination, her designs help audiences understand who characters are, where they come from and the worlds they inhabit. The relaunch gives emerging creatives an opportunity to learn more about the thinking behind that work. Offered through ePLC, PLC Detroit’s online learning platform, the free, self-paced masterclass features four video modules exploring Carter’s creative methodologies. The curriculum covers character development, research techniques, visual storytelling and strategic problem-solving, while giving participants insight into Carter’s distinctive approach to Afrofuturism. The course is designed to help creatives translate ideas into visual narratives, strengthen their creative decision-making and better understand the role storytelling can play in developing both a professional pathway and an individual creative voice. For Carter, sharing that knowledge is also about helping the next generation imagine what is possible. “Afrofuturism has always been about expanding our imagination — about seeing ourselves in worlds that honor our past while designing the future," said Carter. "Costume design is storytelling. It requires research, cultural respect, and the courage to continually evolve your craft. She adds, "I'm proud to be part of a collaboration like this. Support from institutions like PLC Detroit and partners like adidas is critical because it invests in the growth and development of artists. When brands champion creative education, they help open doors for the next generation of designers to discover their voice, shape their vision, and step fully into their purpose." The masterclass also represents a collaboration with deep ties to the HBCU community. Carter is a graduate of Hampton University, while PLC Detroit is Michigan’s only HBCU and the nation’s only design-focused HBCU. Led by renowned footwear designer and college President Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, PLC Detroit has built its educational model around connecting creative talent with industry knowledge, professional experiences and pathways into design careers. Carter also serves as PLC Detroit’s first artist-in-residence. “Our relationship with Ruth E. Carter began with a Masterclass, where she guided four PLC students in designing dresses for her awards ceremonies,” Edwards said. “In 2025, she collaborated with PLC alumni on the Ruth E. Carter Apparel Creation STU/DEO by adidas. Today, we invite aspiring creatives worldwide to learn from her through our online platform, ePLC." Dr. Edwards adds, Her groundbreaking career inspires us to open doors for the next generation to shape the future of design." The relationship demonstrates something HBCUs have understood for generations: Education can become even more powerful when those who have achieved extraordinary success return their knowledge, experience and access to the communities coming behind them. The decision to relaunch the masterclass follows a strong response to the inaugural eight-week course, which introduced aspiring costume designers, storytellers and other creatives from around the world to Carter’s approach to costume design, visual storytelling and Afrofuturism. Encouraged by participant feedback, PLC Detroit is bringing the course back to give a new group of creatives an opportunity to gain insight from one of the industry’s most celebrated costume designers. One participant from the inaugural program said: “It was a great intro to the beginning stages of costume design. Getting feedback was also amazing and something I will take with me as I continue to develop this character and the other characters in this story.” That ability to take what is learned and apply it to the next project is an important part of professional development. The goal is not simply to watch Ruth E. Carter explain costume design. It is to gain insight into how an accomplished professional researches, thinks, develops characters, solves creative problems and turns an idea into visual storytelling. Carter has already made history, but the masterclass represents another part of her legacy. Her costumes have helped preserve Black history, celebrate Black identity and imagine Black futures on screens around the world. Her influence can be seen in the films she has helped bring to life and in the doors her achievements have opened for other Black creatives. Now, some of the knowledge accumulated throughout that extraordinary career is becoming accessible to an aspiring designer who may be sitting in an HBCU classroom, creating from a bedroom hundreds of miles from Hollywood or simply trying to figure out how to turn a love of storytelling and design into a career. That is what makes the word FREE particularly important. Talent may be everywhere, but opportunity is not always equally distributed. Removing cost and geography as barriers does not solve every challenge facing emerging creatives, but it can create another doorway. For the next generation of Black designers and storytellers, sometimes one open door is all it takes. The FREE Ruth E. Carter Masterclass by adidas | ePLC begins Aug. 17. Applications are now open at https://www.plcdetroit.com/eplc-ruth-carte... If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! 
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P C
Publicist, PCPR Communications Member Since May 2024 |
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