Photo of Chewbacca by David R. Wheeler, Editor
These are definitely the droids you’re looking for.
Check out the real costumes (not replicas) featured in the Star Wars movies, including Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2D2, at St. Pete’s Museum of Fine Arts.
Culled from the collection of the Lucas Museum of Narrative, Star Wars and the Power of Costume is a partnership of the Museum of Fine Arts, the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, and Lucasfilm. George Lucas imagined and created a fantastical world filled with dynamic characters who told the timeless story of the hero’s journey. The costumes shaped the identities of these now famouscharacters, from the menacing black mask of Darth Vader and the gilded suit of C-3PO, to the lavish royal gowns of Queen Amidala and a bikini worn by Princess Leia.
The exhibition will take visitors inside the creative process by showing how designers interpret and translate George Lucas’s vision for the iconic Star Wars characters into reality. Concept drawings and actual costumes will be on view, so visitors can explore the process of their creation and enjoy the sheer beauty of both.
Featured costumes include:
- Monk-like robes of Jedi masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker
- Intimidating suit and complex breathing apparatus of Darth Vader
- Military-influenced uniforms of the Imperial Stormtrooper, Senate Guard and TIE Fighter Pilot
- Yak hair and mohair costume of the towering Wookiee Chewbacca
- Intergalactic outfits of Senators Bail Organa, Mon Mothma and Mas Amedda
- Fierce armor of mercenary bounty hunters Jango Fett, Boba Fett and Zam Wesell
- Elaborately detailed gowns of Queen Amidala, Queen Jamillia and their handmaidens
The exhibit starts this weekend for MFA members and next week for the general public. The MFA is located at 255 Beach Drive Northeast in St. Petersburg.