Ruth E. Carter Partners With Pensole Lewis College on Apparel Creation Stu/Deo by Adidas
- Jaden Thompson
- Sep 30
- 3 min read
A ribbon-cutting for the studio was held on Thursday during the Black Footwear Forum.
Ruth E. Carter attends the ribbon cutting of the Apparel Creation STU/DEO by Adidas at Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design in Detroit on Sept. 18, 2025. JP Howard
Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter is giving back to the community and those that wish to follow in her footsteps by opening her own studio in partnership with Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design in Detroit, the country’s only design-focused HBCU. The Apparel Creation Stu/Deo by Adidas launched celebrated its launch on Thursday with a ribbon cutting attended by the costume designer amid the sixth annual Black Footwear Forum, which unfolded at the school from Thursday to Sunday.
Carter, an HBCU graduate herself, served as a champion of the collaboration with the aim of empowering aspiring designers. Attesting to the educational opportunities available at the school, PLC Detroit students Angel Buckens and Rodney Banks helped to design the studio in collaboration with Carter, offering creative insights for the space. Additionally, the space features a mural by fine arts painter and muralist Sydney G. James of Detroit, providing an inspiring backdrop and spotlighting the cultural contributions of local artists.
Ruth E. Carter Apparel Creation Stu/Deo by Adidas.
Carter’s career has spanned more than 30 years and includes more than 70 credits across film, television and theater. She garnered her two Academy Awards for Best Costume Design for her work on Ryan Coogler’s films “Black Panther” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” in addition to two additional nominations for Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X” and Steve Spielberg’s “Amistad.” She is the first African American to win an Oscar in the category of Best Costume Design, and with her “Wakanda Forever” win, she became the first Black woman to win two Academy Awards in any category and the first costume designer to win the award for a feature and its sequel. More recently, she lent her talent to Coogler’s latest hit “Sinners.”
Carter said of the new space, “When I was a young designer, I hoped for places like the Apparel Stu/Deo. 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.”
Ruth E. Carter’s body of work includes costume designing for “School Daze,” “Coming 2 America,” “Baby Boy” and more films.
PLC Detroit president Dr. D’Wayne Edwards remarked on the partnership as well: “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.”
“This collaboration is about more than fashion, it’s about community, legacy, and the next generation of creators,” said Ayesha Martin, senior director of purpose marketing. “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.”
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