Costume for Black Panther worn by Chadwick Boseman
date: label: Date
content: 2016
name: label: Produced by
content: Marvel Worldwide, Inc., American, founded 1939
label: Worn by
content: Chadwick Boseman, American, 1977 - 2020
label: Created by
content: Andy Park, American, born 1975
label: Designed by
content: Judianna Makovsky, American, born 1967
notes: label: Caption
content: This version of Black Panther's suit was first conceptualized by Andy Park and designed by Judianna Makovsky for Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther character in the 2016 Marvel film Captain America: Civil War. Boseman donned this costume again in the first few scenes of the character's title film, Black Panther. Later in the film, Boseman's character, T'Challa, gains an upgraded panther suit courtesy of his sister Shuri, played by Letitia Wright. Like the new costume designed by Ruth E. Carter, this Black Panther suit features a triangle motif, which Carter calls "the sacred geometry of Africa."
label: Description
content: Costume for the character Black Panther worn by Chadwick Boseman in the Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther movies. The costume includes five (5) parts- a bodysuit (.1abc), helmet (.2), hood (.3), two gloves (.4ab), and two boots (.5ab). The costume is black and dark grey, with silver markings and geometric designs imprinted in dot, triangle, and diamond motifs throughout. It is mounted on a form and stand.
label: Description
content: .1: The bodysuit consists of a sleeveless farmer john style jumpsuit with full legs (a), a leotard-style bodysuit with three-quarter sleeves that fits under the jumpsuit and attaches with Velcro (b), and a muscle under suit (c).
label: Description
content: (a)The sleeveless bodysuit with full legs is black with a textured, cross-hatched design, divided into seamed sections. Around the neckline is a silver stylized panther claw necklace with eleven claws, the points facing downwards. Each of the six claws has an indented geometric design with a raised, thin line going down the center of each claw. At the back of the necklace is a silver downward facing triangle. The collar of the bodysuit is attached to the front and secures on the back with Velcro. Underneath the necklace is a dark grey, triangular piece of material with an indented diamond and triangle geometric motif at the front and at the back, the same material cut in eight diamond pieces arranged in two vertical lines down the shoulder blades. The imprinted dark grey material is also applied in bands forming a “V” pattern down the chest and back, wrapping around the hips, and forming an inverted “V” pattern down the legs and arms, and a diamond pattern at the shoulders. There are small silver pieces set around the hips. The legs have stirrups to secure to the feet. On the interior, there is a metal wire set at chest height from side to side and covered with black petersham ribbon. The ribbon extends fully around the chest and secures at center back with Velcro. This wire can attach to a hook on the muscle suit at center front. There are 2 invisible zippers set in seams at the crotch.
label: Description
content: (b)Leotard-style bodysuit with three-quarter sleeves. The decorated fabric is used for the sleeves and upper portion of the garment; a stretch black net is used for the rest of the body, and plain black jersey is used where the sleeves are covered by the gloves. The leotard closes at center back with a large zipper. There is an elastic strap attached to the bottom front on the leotard. This strap passes between the legs and is secured at the base of the zipper with 2 metal hooks and bars. Also on the back of the leotard are Velcro pieces that attach to Velcro on the bodysuit with full legs.
label: Description
content: .2: The helmet is black and in the form of a stylized panther head with pointed ears at the top, silver markings and bands of geometric designs in diamonds, triangles, and dots. It is constructed in a single piece, with magnets used to hold the sides in place.
label: Description
content: A vertical silver line runs down the center of the top of the helmet to the forehead. Two sets of silver lines run from the back of the head to the bridge of the nose, and out above the eyes with another silver line running from the outside corner of each eye, across the nose. The eyes are silver, almond-shaped, and have a metal mesh-like appearance. There is an intricate and symmetrical diamond design at the center of the forehead and along the silver markings, which continues down the bridge of the nose. In between the two sets of silver lines is a repeating pattern of alternating triangles. Another set of silver lines run from around the ears, across the cheekbones, and down at the sides of the mouth and chin. A vertical band of dots runs from the tip of the nose to the bottom of the chin, with lines of dots forming an alternating triangle patter on either side of the chin.
label: Description
content: At the top, the ears are outlined in silver and feature textured lines in triangle patterns in the front and outside, with a diamond design on the ridge and a smooth back interior. Under the ears and down to the temples are imprinted lines and dots forming an alternating triangle pattern. Every other alternating line has small square shaped cut outs in a repeating pattern.
label: Description
content: The back of the helmet has two sets of black lines with dots and triangle markings that form a “V” pattern at the center, with more lines in a geometric triangle motif between the two “V” lines.
label: Description
content: .3: The hood, which covers the neck, is a piece of black material with the same textured, cross-hatch design as the jumpsuit, with seamed lines forming a triangle motif throughout. Most of the hood is made with decorated black fabric with a panel of stretch black net along the back of the head. The face opening is circled with a narrow band of plain black jersey, and there is an elastic band to stabilize the hood across the forehead. The hood closes at center back with a vertical zipper.
label: Description
content: .4ab: The gloves are elbow length and made from a black fabric textured in vertical lines. At the elbow, the gloves end in a firm, smooth-textured, V-shaped black trim with a silver band in the middle and three silver, stylized panther claws on the outside of each glove. The claws face downward and have an imprinted geometric design. Velcro at the cuff attaches the gloves to the sleeve piece. At the wrists and hands are pieces of protective padding in a dark grey material inset with geometric designs in a diamond pattern. Zips at the wrist allow the hand to enter the glove. There is a hard covering on each of the fingers with small triangular cutouts near the knuckles and the center of each finger, with pieces of silver beneath the center cutouts.
label: Description
content: .5ab: The boots are composed of a soft black fabric with textured vertical lines. The shaft of the boot slides up the calf and ends in a V-shaped cuff of harder, shiny material. The boots have side zippers. There are small fabric tabs that cover the tops of the zippers; these tabs secure to the boots with Velcro. There is a thick band below the cuff with short, textured diagonal lines repeating in six rows. On the back of the boot shafts, seamed bands are arranged to form a triangle motif. There is a zipper in the shaft. The foot section of the boots are composed of a fabric with a textured cross-hatch pattern. There are several bands of textured diagonal lines across the vamp with a center vertical band of an imprinted triangle motif. The toecaps have an inverted “V”-shaped pattern. The hard rubber outsole curves over the tip of the toecaps with raised shapes resembling a paw or claws.
place: label: Cultural Place
content: Africa
label: Place made
content: United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Comics and graphic novels
label: Topic
content: Costume
label: Topic
content: Costume design
label: Topic
content: Design
label: Topic
content: Film
label: Topic
content: Hollywood (Film)
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Costume
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Marvel Studios and The Walt Disney Company
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2018.39.1.1abc-.5ab
objectType: label: Type
content: costume
label: Type
content: helmets
label: Type
content: gloves
label: Type
content: boots
label: Type
content: bodysuits
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: © Marvel
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Skin suit, gloves, and boots: synthetic fiber, Velcro (TM), and metal;
label: Medium
content: Muscle Suit: spandex, Lycra, polyester, and latex;
label: Medium
content: Helmet: urethane elastomer, plastic, and magnets
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (Full Costume Measurements): 75 × 23 in. (190.5 × 58.4 cm)