Ruth E. Carter has long been known for turning fabric into history. From the bright, bold kente-inspired regalia of Black Panther to the raw streetwear sensibility of Do the Right Thing, her career has been a masterclass in how design can capture the soul of a people. Now, the two-time Academy Award–winning costume designer is pouring that same vision into Detroit, partnering with Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design (PLC Detroit) to unveil her new Apparel Creation STU/DEO by adidas.
The launch took place on September 18 during the sixth annual National Black Footwear Forum, a gathering that has become the definitive homecoming for Black and Brown creatives in the industry.
Carter, an HBCU graduate herself, has spent more than three decades setting the standard for what it means to use clothing as narrative. With over 70 credits across film, television, and theater, she has worked with some of the most respected directors in the world, from Spike Lee to Ava DuVernay, Steven Spielberg to Ryan Coogler. Her place in cinematic history is undeniable. In 2019, she became the first Black person to win the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for Black Panther. She returned to the stage four years later as the first Black woman ever to win multiple Oscars in any category when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever earned her a second golden statue.
No costume designer before her had ever been recognized for both a feature film and its sequel. Most recently, her work reached audiences once again in Coogler’s blockbuster Sinners, a visual spectacle praised for its textured blend of futurism and history.
For Carter, the Detroit partnership is as personal as it is professional. “When I was a young designer, I hoped for places like the Apparel STU/DEO,” she said. “I’m grateful that my longstanding career has allowed my work to honor our history and culture while inspiring others to tell their own stories. To stand here now, seeing students at PLC Detroit take that same dream and shape it into something new through my name, is profoundly moving. Moments like this remind us that design is more than fashion—it is storytelling, it is culture, it is legacy. I am honored to mentor these brilliant young creatives as they begin to write their own chapters, and I cannot wait to see how their vision transforms the future of design.”
That vision has already begun to take shape at PLC. Two students, Angel Buckens and Rodney Banks, contributed to the design of the STU/DEO itself, weaving their own ideas into the fabric of the space. Their work represents the kind of hands-on, collaborative education that the college promises its students. Completing the studio is a mural by Detroit’s own Sydney G. James, whose large-scale artwork has become synonymous with cultural pride and storytelling across the city.
Together, the students and James created a backdrop that embodies the spirit of Detroit while amplifying Carter’s message of creativity and boldness.
“Make bold choices with your creativity and be unprecedented. You have your whole life to live by the book,” Carter advised students as they prepared to debut the new space. Her words echo the philosophy she has carried throughout her career: courage and culture must guide design if it is to have real impact.
The unveiling is being timed with the National Black Footwear Forum, co-hosted by the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America. Known as “The Industry’s Homecoming,” the Forum is a platform where executives, students, and creatives gather to celebrate leadership and creativity while reimagining what’s possible in design.
For PLC Detroit, the only design-focused HBCU in the country, hosting the Forum highlights the college’s role in shaping the future of design education.
Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, president of PLC Detroit, spoke to the significance of the moment.
“This marks the second time PLC has collaborated with Ruth E. Carter. Continuing to work with a history-making icon as Ruth, PLC continues to provide opportunities that elevate aspiring creatives to realize their dreams of becoming the future of design. Sharing this moment with over 1,000 BFF attendees, alongside our talented students and dedicated faculty at PLC Detroit, is truly special.”
The partnership also reflects a growing recognition by corporations of the importance of investing in creative spaces that honor culture while nurturing new talent. Adidas joined the project as a collaborator, with Ayesha Martin, Senior Director of Purpose Marketing, framing the work as a model for how brands can drive meaningful impact.
“This collaboration is about more than fashion, it’s about community, legacy, and the next generation of creators,” she said. “Ms. Ruth E. Carter and the students at PLC Detroit are showing how design can be a force for storytelling and reimagining possible futures. We’re proud to stand alongside them in building spaces where young talent can thrive and shape our industry.”
Carter’s career has always shown how design can transcend aesthetics and become cultural narrative. Every detail she constructs is intended to be read like language, translating identity into fabric, thread, and form. In Detroit, that lesson will now be experienced not only through her costumes on screen, but through the work of students who are finding their own voices in the studio that carries her name.
The launch of the Apparel STU/DEO is a moment that links legacy with opportunity. It marks the convergence of a cultural icon, a historic HBCU, and a city that has always set the rhythm for innovation. For Carter, it is a chance to give back what she once dreamed of. For students, it is an opportunity to learn directly from someone who has redefined an industry. And for Detroit, it is another example of how its cultural footprint continues to grow as a global center for design.
