The Man Who Makes 50 Cent Look Good
Frank L. Fleming went from transforming Denzel into Malcolm X to making Raising Kanan Black television’s best dressed.
One can make a case that the fan favorite character on Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s Power spinoff Raising Kanan is its early 1990’s aesthetic — the designs under high-top fades, the apple red and baby blue BMWs, the BBS rims, the Polo––Oh lord, the vintage Ralph Lauren pieces (“Suicide” Goose coats, “Cookie” Polo boots, Teddy Bear bed sheets, oh my!).
The person responsible for the Starz hit’s bullseye cultural accuracy is renowned film and television costume designer and creative producer Frank L. Fleming, a 30-plus year veteran who got his start interning under Academy Award-winning designer Ruth E. Carter on films like Spike Lee’s Malcolm X. Fleming would go on to build a résumé adorning stars such as Jennifer Garner and Kevin Costner (Draft Day), Rachel Adams (Morning Glory) and Halle Berry in her Oscar-winning Monster’s Ball role.
Although Fleming’s filmography lists A-list directors like Lee and the Spielberg guy, he’s currently running a television monopoly with 50 Cent’s Power universe. Before he superbly brought the Jamaica, Queens version of New Jack City to premium cable last summer, he oversaw design on all six seasons of the…
