The Inspiration Behind Queen Sugar's Costume Design

Caroline Marx, the costume designer for Queen Sugar, says working on the show is a breath of fresh air. With a sprawling sugarcane farm in the deep south for a backdrop, styling plays a large role in bringing each character and individual personality to life.

While a character like Ralph Angel (Kofi Siriboe) may be seen wearing mostly causal work shirts and jeans, Charley (Dawn-Lyen Gardner) may be decked out in sophisticated, edgy business wear. "The costume design for Queen Sugar is eclectic, city and rural," Caroline says.

The show also isn’t afraid to take chances, as shown by executive producer Ava DuVernay's request that the siblings be dressed in white—not black—for their father's funeral. "Every person's style that day was just extraordinary," Caroline says. "The sun was setting; it was breathtaking, it really was. It was probably one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen shot."