Carrie Fisher’s iconic gold bikini from “Return of the Jedi” has been sold for a staggering $175,000 (nearly ₹ 1.5 crore) at auction. This seven-piece costume, which includes hip rings, an armlet, and a bracelet, was acquired by an anonymous bidder during a two-day auction featuring over 500 Hollywood memorabilia items, as reported by CNN. The auction was hosted by Heritage Auctions in Dallas and showcased the famous costume worn by Princess Leia during her captivity by Jabba the Hutt in the Star Wars movies.
This outfit, beloved by fans, is widely considered one of the most iconic in the series’ history. It was meticulously crafted based on sketches by costume designer Nilo Rodis-Jamero, with sculptor Richard Miller bringing it to life using resin and urethane. In a behind-the-scenes documentary, Miller explained that the “skimpy” design was intended to illustrate the evolution of Fisher’s character throughout the trilogy. Miller recalled that director George Lucas aimed to demonstrate Princess Leia’s growth and maturation across the three episodes, which led to the introduction of the slave costume.
Fisher, however, expressed her discomfort with the bikini due to its ill-fitting nature. As Miller explained, the costume was made using a mannequin based on Fisher’s body measurements. However, by the time filming commenced, Fisher had lost around 5kg, causing the bikini to “really hang on her.” Miller sadly passed away in 2022 at the age of 80.
Carrie Fisher herself spoke openly about her nervousness surrounding the costume in a 2016 interview with NPR. “Nearly naked, which is not a style choice for me… It wasn’t my choice. When [director George Lucas] showed me the outfit, I thought he was kidding and it made me very nervous. I had to sit very straight because I couldn’t have lines on my sides, like little creases. No creases were allowed, so I had to sit very, very rigid straight…” she shared with the publication.
