Lupita Nyong'o wears 'warrior'-inspired gown to 'Black Panther' premiere

Jan. 30 (UPI) -- Lupita Nyong'o turned heads in a "warrior"-inspired gown at the Black Panther premiere.

The 34-year-old Kenyan-Mexican actress attended the movie's Los Angeles debut Monday at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Nyong'o stunned in a custom Versace gown in a rich shade of purple. The pleated dress featured a gold bodice embellished with jewels that suggested dazzling armor.

"There's definitely a nod to her warrior character Nakia here, without being costumey," Nyongo's stylist Micaela Erlanger told The Hollywood Reporter. "It's a really glamorous take on our vision and it's very fierce, certainly."

Danai Gurira and Angela Bassett, who play Okoye and Ramonda, respectively, also wore bright colors on the red carpet. Gurira sported a pink, one-shoulder Viktor & Rolf dress, while Bassett chose a yellow Naeem Khan jumpsuit.

"I was hoping for this," Black Panther costume designer Ruth E. Carter said of the colorful ensembles to USA Today. "All of the awards shows I was watching on TV, I was like, 'Oh, you wait until Black Panther red carpet rolls around. It's a celebration."

Black Panther is based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. The movie co-stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan and Martin Freeman, and opens in theaters Feb. 16.