Adidas and Academy Award-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter are bringing the masterclass experience to an HBCU. PLC Detroit (Pensole Lewis College of Business & Design) is partnering with adidas and Ruth E. Carter on a costume design masterclass through the institution’s online learning program, ePLC. The course begins August 17, and applications to be part of the cohort are now available.
PLC Detroit President Dr. D’Wayne Edwards spoke about the honor of working with Carter.
“Our relationship with Ruth E. Carter began with a Masterclass, where she guided four PLC students in designing dresses for her awards ceremonies,” said Dr. D’Wayne Edwards, president of PLC Detroit. “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. Her groundbreaking career inspires us to open doors for the next generation to shape the future of design.”
The masterclass is set to run across eight weeks and follows the program’s inaugural cohort last school year. Last year’s course centered on showcasing Carter’s approach to Afrofuturism through costume design and visual storytelling. This year’s experience is set to follow the same format as last year’s class.
Carter, a Hampton University graduate, spoke about her partnership with PLC Detroit and Adidas for the masterclass.
“Afrofuturism has always been about expanding our imagination—about seeing ourselves in worlds that honor our past while designing the future. Costume design is storytelling. It requires research, cultural respect, and the courage to continually evolve your craft. 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.” — Ruth E. Carter
The masterclass comes on the heels of her Academy Award nomination for Sinners, along with her Academy Award wins for Best Costume Design for Marvel Films’ Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
