Princess Leia’s Gold Bikini From Star Wars Fetches $175,000 At Auction

Princess Leia’s famous gold bikini, worn by the late Carrie Fisher in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, has been sold at auction for $175,000 (£136,000, A$266,000). This iconic costume, known for its memorable appearance in the 1983 film, was auctioned by Heritage Auctions in the United States on Friday.

Princess Leia’s Iconic Gold Bikini Sells for $175,000 at Auction

The costume is a seven-piece set that includes a bikini brassiere, bikini plates, hip rings, an armlet, and a bracelet. It was designed by the late Richard Miller, who was the chief sculptor for Industrial Light & Magic, the visual effects company founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas.

The Costume's Legacy

Princess Leia’s gold bikini has become one of the most famous costumes in film history. It was previously sold for $96,000 at a Star Wars memorabilia auction in 2015. Carrie Fisher, who portrayed Princess Leia, had mixed feelings about the costume. In 2016, she revealed that she felt "nearly naked" in the bikini and was not pleased with the costume choice, stating that she thought George Lucas was “kidding” when he first showed it to her.

Richard Miller, the costume designer, added soft material to make the outfit more comfortable for Fisher. Despite this, Fisher was still not fond of the costume, and Miller acknowledged her discomfort, explaining that he did what he could to make it feel better.

Other auction highlights

The auction also featured a miniature Y-Wing Starfighter from the first Star Wars film, A New Hope. This miniature, which played a role in bringing down the Death Star, fetched $1.55 million (£1.2 million, A$2.36 million). It was one of only two miniatures made for the film and was designed by US artist Colin Cantwell.

In addition to these, the auction included a movie poster from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home by Bob Peak, which sold for $106,250; a Thor hammer from Thor: The Dark World for $81,250; and a Mandalorian helmet, which was bought for $40,000.

Other notable sales included Daniel Radcliffe’s wand from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which sold for $52,000, and an outfit worn by Macauley Culkin in Home Alone, which fetched $47,500.