PERIOD DRAMA 1949 – CONTEMPORARY 2022

BLACK CAKE

Disney +/ HULU · Costume Designer

DIRECTORS — Zetna Fuentes, Natalia Leite, Tara Nicole Weyr, Mario Van Peebles

PRODUCERS — Nick Goding, Marshall Boone, Matthew Conner

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS — Marissa Jo Cerar (Creator and Showrunner), Oprah Winfrey, Michael Lohmann, Aaron Kaplan, Carla Gardini, Brian Morewitz, Charmaine Wilkerson (Author) and Zetna Fuentes

SERIES TRAILER

THE DESIGN

Spanning 1948 to 2023, Black Cake moves between Jamaica, London, Scotland and Los Angeles, following a woman’s extraordinary journey across continents, decades and identities. The design challenge was to create distinct visual worlds for each chapter, using costume, colour and cultural detail to reflect the changing environments and emotional experiences of the characters.

The vibrant, sun-bleached tropical colours of 1960s Jamaica contrast sharply with the muted, desaturated palette of London, reflecting Covey’s displacement and disillusionment. Extensive historical and cultural research informed the costumes, from original vintage clothing and specially reproduced period prints to bespoke swimwear and occasionwear, including the elaborate Jamaican wedding sequence.

A significant proportion of the principal period costumes were custom-made, alongside hundreds of carefully researched supporting costumes. With much of the historical wardrobe sourced, constructed and shipped internationally, the production required a balance of cultural authenticity, ambitious design and complex logistical coordination to realise its richly detailed visual worlds.