Ayanna Kimani Costume Design

Soulful storytelling through design

I specialize in elevated costume design for character-driven television and film, with expertise spanning contemporary drama, period storytelling, and genre-bending narratives. From Emmy-nominated series to limited series event television, I create designs that serve story above all else.

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Storytelling Through Costume Design

Every garment is a narrative choice. From HBO’s Insecure to MGM+’s Emperor of Ocean Park, I design costumes that reveal character layers always in service of the story.

Queen Sugar

Land, Legacy, Family.

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Insecure

A love letter to Black LA

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The Emperor of Ocean Park

Chicago’s Elite danger

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Night Patrol

Supernatural battle with LAPD

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Two women hold hands and smile at each other at an outdoor party with glowing paper lanterns and string lights, surrounded by other guests and decorated tables.

The Process

My process is built on three pillars: character first, culture and context, and collaborative storytelling. Every project begins with extensive research of the characters and the worlds they inhabit. From there, I collaborate with the other departments to ensure the costumes complement the larger visual story. I build wardrobes that feel authentic by sourcing and building pieces that honor the narrative.

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Past Collaborators

Colorful 3D text that reads 'MOM+' on a black background.

A woman in a dark gray suit sitting on a pink sofa next to a potted green plant, with short hair and a thoughtful expression.

The Artist

I'm a costume designer who's built a career on creating wardrobes that reveal character and drive story forward. My work spans contemporary drama, period storytelling, and genre-bending narratives across film and television.

Read Ayanna's Story

Costume as Language.

Living Dialogue

"The wardrobe stylings, from costume designers Ayanna James Kimani, keep the show feeling fresh and cool... The fashion of Insecure is enviable, stylish, and fluid, growing with the characters and their changing tastes and buying powers as they move into new life stages."

— News Flash, "How Insecure Changed the Game"

Visionary Voice

"Few people can boast that the first studio project they costume-designed for was a groundbreaking HBO series. Ayanna James Kimani, a stylist turned costume designer, knew the heights that 'Insecure' would reach long before mainstream America caught on."

— HuffPost, "Who's Behind the Clothes"

Conversational Design

"On 'Insecure,' James-Kimani proves that clothes aren't just pretty ornaments nor inert background props — they mobilize conversation. Her designs personalize the characters: each item is deliberate and idiosyncratic, a material representation of a personality trait or temperament."

— Women and Hollywood, Costume Designer Feature