Princess Leia’s gold bikini sells for $96,000
When Carrie Fisher slipped into a gold bikini for the role of Princess Leia in Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, little did she know it would end up one of the most iconic pieces of film fashion. Naturally, such sartorial relics garner a hefty payout from collectors, and the stringy suit recently netted a whopping $96,000.
Bidding for the item took place last week at an auction hosted by Profiles in History. The original asking price was $80,000.
Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in the iconic gold bikini Photo: ©Lucasfilm Ltd./Courtesy Everett Collection
According to the listing, the unnamed winner went home with not only the bikini, but also a collection of original documents, photos, notes, pencil drawings and measurements that were used to craft the ensemble. It also mentions that the piece had to be altered during filming on account of the actress’s weight loss.
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Though one would think the suit is made of real gold for its selling price, it’s actually crafted from “flexible, gold-painted red dense-urethane rubber.” Originally meant as a "slave custom," it was sold alongside a “collar, several chain links, and a letter of authenticity from Star Wars designer Richard Miller.”
Carrie Fisher with co-stars Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill at Comic-Con 2015. Photo: © Getty Images
Speaking of her character's costume to Rolling Stone back in 1983, the then-27-year-old had this to say: “In Return of the Jedi, [Princess Leia] gets to be more feminine, more supportive, more affectionate. But let’s not forget that these movies are basically boys’ fantasies. So the other way they made her more female in this one was to have her take off her clothes.”
In 2013 she explained her dislike of the ensemble to TIME, saying it’s “what supermodels will eventually wear in the seventh ring of hell.”
Sarah Kelsey is a gal in the know who regularly appears on television and writes for a variety of outlets. Check out her work at sarahkelsey.ca, on Twitter @sarahkelsey, Instagram @sakelsey and Pinterest @sakelsey.
