The world premiere of Black Panther was on Monday night, and the initial reactions are overwhelmingly positive. T’Challa commands attention. The character certainly inspired Andrien Gbinigie. He put together his first ever costume in October 2017 because of Black Panther. He told Nerdist, “I chose Black Panther because he has long been my favorite superhero. Black Panther is inspiring because he not only is a certified genius in the Marvel universe, he is also a king and protector of Wakanda, a nation that houses the only known deposit of the precious metal vibranium. Seeing a black hero in that position of strength, front and center, really drives home the importance of representation.”
Gbinigie worked with Vic, a.k.a. Lucid Visual Photography, to show off his Black Panther costume in an amazing setting.
Since this was his first ever costume, Gbinigie reached out to cosplayer friends to get tips and then he commissioned a suit. “I then contacted The RPC Studio and they helped me put together a custom made suit, directly to my measurements. At the same time, I was working out four times a week with a personal trainer to ensure that I could at least look like T’Challa in the suit,” he explained.
His hard work clearly paid off. The photos practically look like stills from the Marvel film.
View more photos of the incredible costume in the gallery below. Keep up with Gbinigie’s work by following him on Twitter and Instagram. See more of Lucid Visual Photography’s pictures on Facebook and/or Instagram.
Anyone else out there cosplaying Black Panther or any of the warriors from Wakanda? Tell us in the comments and show us your pictures on Twitter.
Images: Lucid Visual Photography, courtesy of Andie Gbinigie
Read more about Black Panther!
- The first reactions to Black Panther are glowing.
- 8 things we learned on the Black Panther set.
- Marvel’s giving away a Black Panther starter comic.
