Star Wars has been a pop culture staple since the release of its first movie in 1977. The universe has evolved into a franchise that is loved by fans all over the world, however no fantasy or sci-fi world is complete without its elaborate costumes and iconic looks. There have been many costume designers in charge of creating these looks over the years, but no costumes were quite as show-stopping as Queen Padmé Amidala’s dresses created by Trisha Biggar.
In the Star Wars universe, Queen and Senator Padmé Amidala is the leader and representative of the planet of Naboo and the later wife of Anakin Skywalker, who later becomes dark vader, as well as the mother of Luke and Leia Skywalker. Even though she is not a Jedi, she is still an incredibly critical part of the story. A ruler and politician who stands for justice and democracy, who is loved by her people, should look the part, and Trisha Bigger understood that. She placed Padmé in extravagant outfits and dresses, always creating a distinct look for every moment of the prequels to show off her power and authority, as well as a pride in her home planet and a display of her personality.
Episode one costumes
The costumes she was put in for episode one were extravagant and traditional. They all contained the same makeup look with white foundation, red dots, and elaborate updos, and accessories inspired by costumes meant for Kabuki, traditional Japanese theater from the Edo Period. The dresses are adorned with layers of cloth and giant sleeves, all in colors of red, purple, and whites. This displays her power as a politician and, at the time, princess while also staying to the traditional royal clothing of Naboo, which includes those pieces of heavy clothes and extravagant sleeves. This tie to tradition shifts slightly when she is disguised as one of her handmaidens for her own safety.
The handmaiden’s outfits are red and velvety but do not have the makeup or elaborate hair as her royal attire. However, Padmé’s true personality shines through in her outfit for Tatooine and her outfit for the final battle of episode one. Her hair is still done up in something intricate but not as elaborate; furthermore, she still retains the puffy or swooping sleeves, but they are more subdued, and she is no longer wearing makeup. She still holds that connection to her home planet, but the added flare of royalty has been stripped away, leaving a more natural, human look. This also highlights her leadership because she was able to command her army in battle without emphasis on royal status in her appearance. Even without the gowns or title, she is still a natural-born leader who holds value for her home, and that shines in her final battle costume.
Episode two and three costumes
This trend continues throughout the prequels but shifts. After the time jump and she is officially queen, her hair is up and intricate, but there are fewer added headdresses and no extravagant makeup besides occasional dark eye shadow. The dresses still retain their elaborate quality and layers; however, when spending time with Anakin, her future husband, she loses the layers and darker colors while also maintaining the elaborate shape and flow. This is also a trend in her costume design that continues into episode three. When needing to display diplomatic and planetary power, she sticks to the traditional layers, fabrics, and colors of Naboo, the dark blues and purples she wears creating a sense of authority, while the traditional clothes let all those around her know immediately who she represents.
However, in her more vulnerable moments, she is wearing fewer layers and heavy fabrics and has shifted to lighter colors. In these moments, she is talking to friends and loved ones, not a senate floor, so she doesn’t need to tell strangers who she is through her clothing; they already know and can be less formal. Her personality and goals never change, just like the flowing and elaborate structures of her dress, but what tone she needs to take, who she needs to be, is conveyed in her colors and layering. What stands out is that the shift in outfits is less about two different sides of her and more about who she is talking to and who she needs to be at that moment, whether a friend or a senator.
The designer
The designer to bring all of this together was Trisha Biggar, a Scottish costume designer who would later go on to make costumes for shows such as Outlander, Ordeal by Innocence, Da Vinci’s Demons, and many more. She won four awards for Star Wars alone and an additional one for Da Vinci’s Demons. She talks about some of Padmé’s costumes being a challenge due to their detail and weight, as well as the time crunch the crew was under. Some of the details for the dresses were having details added as late as minutes before shooting, and some of the headdresses were so heavy that the crew had to add pulley systems to take the weight off between shots. This issue is why the second and third films had her headdresses much simpler, unintentionally reflecting her character.
Another issue was that new digital cameras were developed between episode one and two, which caused the colors and textures of clothing to be displayed differently. This caused her to alter a lot of the fabric she was going to use, including redesigning a section of a dress due to a strobing effect on the cameras.
The costumes of Padmé Amidala were challenging in their structure and detail, but were worth the effort. These clothes have become iconic in displaying Padmé’s character, the world of Star Wars, and inspiring sci-fi clothing in future films and books. Trisha Bigger’s work, though rushed, has inspired girls everywhere and was massively important in creating one of the most recognizable women in the Star Wars Universe.
