One of the many impressive aspects of the Black Panther movie is its costume design. The look of the Dora Milaje, the elite Wakanda guard, is particularly striking.
That said, I was surprised to found out from The Wife about this article about Anthony Francisco, a developmental illustrator for Marvel Comics, where he says that apart from the obvious influence from different African cultures, that there are Asian influences in the Dora Milaje costumes. In this Buzzfeed article, Francisco details influences as disparate as Filipino tribesman and Japanese Samurai.
Photo by CEphoto, Uwe Aranas
Francisco grew up in the Philippines, where the Igorot people of Ifugao are well known for their UNESCO heritage rice terraces. Some of their traditional garb influenced his design. In addition, the table runner from Francisco’s Aunt’s house became part of General Okoye’s uniform. Other Asian influences include Samurai style boots.
You can see these and other influences on costume design in the Buzzfeed article.
For a better look at Francisco’s work (which includes Baby Groot), check out his Instagram.
