Starz’s ‘Raising Kanan’ Costume Designer Breaks Down Nailing 90s-Era Looks

• Raquel “Raq” Thomas is a ruthless crime boss in Starz’s drama “Power Book III: Raising Kanan.”
• Fans have not only fallen in love with Raq’s character but also her wardrobe.
• Tsigie White, a costume designer on the show, told Insider the vision behind capturing 90s fashion.

There are three essential pieces you will never see Raquel “Raq” Thomas without — bamboo earrings, over-the-knee boots, and a body-hugging catsuit.

(Four, if you count her strap.)

Viewers who tune in to the Starz series “Raising Kanan — a prequel to the original “Power” crime drama — are familiar with the unassailable, cold-hearted Queen Pin’s journey to take over South Jamaica, Queens by any means necessary.

 

 

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Raq, played by Tony award-winning actress Patina Miller, doesn’t back down from a challenge or setback. She is known for going toe-toe with the most ruthless of criminals, and this season her face-off with the New Jersey mob is no different as she plans to expand her empire.

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The character is unraveled every Sunday on the hit cable show, which chronicles the adolescence of her son, Kanan Stark, played by Mekai Curtis.

Since viewers met Raq in season one, fans have grown accustomed to her merciless attitude — whether it’s taking out one of her most devoted foot soldiers or disposing of a body in the woods with her son. However, viewers have taken note that she serves unique looks while committing these heinous crimes.

The overall fashion in the series has also captured the viewers’ attention, serving as a time machine into the eclectic style of the 1990s — drawing on hip-hop’s growing influence at the time and the era’s love for oversized ensembles, denim, eye-catching gold chains, velour tracks suits and much more.

 

 

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One of the brains behind her iconic wardrobe, veteran costume designer Tsigie White, knew from the drawing board that she wanted Raq’s outfits to be relatable to the culture with a twist of high-end couture design. She touts head costume designer Frank Fleming for laying down the foundation for Raq, especially with his notable work in the original “Power” series, where he bought an “elevated sophistication” to the wardrobe, White said.

And that vision has been executed through Raq.

But don’t be deceived. Although draped in couture, even Miller deems her character as cutthroat and gritty as her male counterparts.

“She’s like a superhero villain, and she is badass and unapologetically Raq. Patina Miller owns the character so well,” White, 45, told Insider.” And what I hope is that confidence, style, and strength are translated through her costumes.”

“She is that bad that she can wear the six-inch heels and the lace cut-out catsuits and command her crew,” she added.

Extensive Research

White grabbed inspiration from her experience in the 90s and pieces of the period from designers like Claude Montana, Romeo Gigili, and Versace. This is showcased in the show’s first season in which Raq rocked a red Claude Montana jacket with Versace frames.

White said adding accessories like bamboo earrings, nameplate necklaces, and rings ties the costume together, but additional research is vital for White.

She turns to TV shows of the time such as NBC’s “A Different World” or flips through vintage magazines to find distinct ensembles true to the era.

 

 

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“It’s really important to me that this show is authentic as possible. So in order to have something be authentic, you have to do the research. So, it’s studying all the magazines. I order a lot of vintage magazines from the period, a lot of Ebony magazines, and JCPenny catalogs so you can understand and see how things will fit — the fit of the pants or how jackets were worn or all these things.”

She doesn’t mind adding her own touch to specific pieces, especially if it’s not the right fit on Miller. She will take the time to re-design or even remake entire looks with the help of her dedicated tailoring department. The garments of other characters on the show— such as Kadeem “Unique” Mathis (played by rapper Joey Bada$$) —  are also highly spoken about amongst fans. Unique, for instance, dons expensive leather jackets like the custom MCM bomber he wore in Season 2, episode 7.

 

 

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Fans also know LaVerne “Jukebox” Ganner, who is played by Hailey Kilgore, for her vintage polo pieces, and the eponymous Kanan is often seen on screen in bright hoodies and crewnecks meant to exhibit his innocence before he became the relentless killer fans later know him to be.

“This is really the challenge of the series. That wardrobe of that era is not that easy to find. Keep in mind, we have to have doubles and triples of it, because if it gets dirty or if we have to shoot someone… one of the real challenges is getting wardrobe that was authentic to that particular moment,” Sascha Penn, creator, and showrunner of the show said during an interview with Complex last year. “We try to get the real stuff.”

White snags the vintage pieces with the help of collectors and has collaborated with fashion icons, including Misa Hylton and the family of legendary Harlem designer Dapper Dan.

“It’s really important to tell it from the standpoint of somebody that loves being Black and somebody that loves our culture and doing it in a very respectful way,” White said. “I love our people and think we are so beautiful and creative and so not one-dimensional.”