We have four words for you: Princess Leia Gold Bikini. Also known as Slave Leia, it is Carrie Fisher's costume in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983). It's an iconic look that shows Princess Leia Organa as a vulnerable woman and sci-fi sex symbol vs. the bad-ss member of the Rebel Alliance she is.
It was controversial then, and it is still discussed today. Nonetheless, the Princess Leia gold bikini is one of the most duplicated ensembles in cinematic history. Leia cosplay is a significant vibe at Comic Cons across the United States. Several other celebrities have donned the famous slave costume.
Princess Leia's Gold Bikini Ensemble
The complete gold bikini ensemble includes a patterned copper brassiere that is fastened behind her neck and back with string. In addition, a dark red silk loincloth covered a copper plate for her front and back.
Carrie used a hair fastener that kept her braided ponytail flowing over her shoulder and leather knee-high boots. Finally, she accessorized with a snake wrap armband and two gold bracelets. Here are ten interesting facts about the gold bikini.
Designing the Bikini Princess Costume Fact #1
Costume designers Aggie Guerard Rodgers and Nilo Rodis-Jamero Rodgers created the iconic look. Rodgers says the inspiration for Leia's slave outfit came from the Egyptian Queen artwork of Frank Frazetta, who had an affinity for the female form. In addition, the designers molded Carrie Fisher's torso for a custom fit.
Several versions of the bikini were crafted to accommodate different scenes in the film, including a bronze bra sculpted by Richard Miller. The design initially included a 25-foot fabric train but was ultimately not plausible. Due to wardrobe malfunctions with the costume, they assigned someone to ensure Fisher wasn't exposed anywhere between takes.
Wearing Leia's Bikini Fact #2
Courtesy of Lucasfilm Ltd.
Carrie Fisher has repeatedly gone on record about Princess Leia's bikini being highly uncomfortable and not something she picked to wear. Despite her hatred of the metal bikini, her complaints allegedly led to its creation. Fisher vocalized that the costumes she wore in A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back were boring and that no one could tell she was a woman in them.
Fisher described the material, “It was like steel, not steel, but hard plastic, and if you stood behind me, you could see straight to Florida. You'll have to ask Boba Fett about that.” Additionally, she expressed the metal bikini is “What supermodels will eventually wear in the seventh ring of hell.”
Carrie Fisher and Her Stuntdouble Fact #3
- Image Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Carrie Fisher had an incredible stunt double in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983). Fisher and her stuntwoman Tracey Eddon wore a rubber version of the bikini for comfort during action scenes. Eddon also wore a rubber replica of C-3PO for the tumble off of the sail barge.
Rehearsing the Jabba the Hutt Scenes in Star Wars Fact #4
- Image Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.
In Return of the Jedi, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) attempt to save Princess Leia from Jabba the Hutt. He is a giant slug-like alien gangster who has taken her prisoner and forced her to wear the “stupid outfit.”
Carrie Fisher admitted in an interview with Fresh Air, “When we first rehearsed it, Hans and Luke are brought in front of Jabba. They talk to Jabba, Jabba talks to Harrison and Mark, and then they're led off. They never say, ‘Hey, how are you?' So as they were being led off, I said, in the rehearsal, ‘Don't worry about me! I'll be fine! Seriously!' Which I thought they should've kept in there.”
George Lucas and Princess Leia Fact #5
- Image Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Fisher continued, “It was like, ‘Where am I in all of this?' I have to stay with the slug with the big tongue! 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 concluded, “What redeems it is I get to kill him, which was so enjoyable. I sawed his neck off with that chain that I killed him with. I really relished that because I hated wearing that outfit and sitting there rigid straight, and I couldn't wait to kill him.”
Princess Leia Gold Bikini Fact #6
- Image Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Before filming, Lucas showed Fisher the concept design, and it frightened her into increasing her exercise routine to tone her body for the shoot. However, Fisher admits to believing that was the point of showing her the drawings.
Leia Bikini Fact #7
- Image Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.
In an interview with Interview Magazine, Carrie Fisher told new Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley not to settle for being a sex symbol. “You should fight for your outfit,” she warned. “Don't be a slave like I was.”
Leia Costume Fact #8
- Image Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.
The official Princess Leia Gold Bikini from Return of the Jedi sold at the Profiles in History auction for $96,000. Bidding for the slave costume opened at $80,000 on October 1, 2015, and sold to an anonymous bidder for $96,000.
It included the collar and several chain links—also, a letter of authenticity from Richard Miller. Miller is the designer who worked for George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic.
Leia Slave Fact #9
- Image Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Leia wears the Slave Leia outfit as one of five unlockable playable characters in the PlayStation video game Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi (1997). So naturally, some parents weren't thrilled.
Princess Leia Bikini Princess Fact #10
- Image Credit: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Disney and Lucasfilm officially retired Slave Leia and all subsequent merchandise in 2015. Also, in 2022, they edited Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi images and posters by replacing Slave Leia with Hoth Leia.
Princess Leia in Her White Star Wars Dress
In her book, Wishful Drinking, Carrie wrote, “Anyway, George comes up to me the first day of filming, and he takes one look at the dress and says, ‘You can't wear a bra under that dress.' So, I say, ‘Okay, I'll bite. Why?' And he says, ‘Because… there's no underwear in space.'
Carrie Fisher Underwear Story
“I promise you this is true,” she continued, “And he says it with such conviction too! Like he had been to space and looked around, and he didn't see any bras or panties or briefs anywhere. Now, George came to my show when it was in Berkeley. He came backstage and explained why you can't wear your brassiere in other galaxies, and I have a sense you will be going to outer space very soon, so here's why you cannot wear your brassiere, per George.”
Carrie Fisher Bra Story
“So, what happens is you go to space, and you become weightless. So far, so good. But then your body expands??? But your bra doesn't- so you get strangled by your own bra. Now I think that this would make a fantastic obit- so I tell my younger friends that no matter how I go, I want it reported that I drowned in moonlight, strangled by my own bra,” Fisher concluded.
Celebrities Who Rocked Princess Leia's Bikini
Image Credit: Warner Bros. Television Distribution
The first episode of season three of Friends is titled “The One with the Princess Leia Fantasy.” Ross admits to Rachel that he has always had this Star Wars fantasy, and she makes it come true. Hair buns and all.
Princess Leia Bikini Worn by Kristen Bell
- Image Credit: The Weinstein Company
Over the years, many celebrities have dressed that part, including Kim Kardashian, Melissa Joan Hart, Stella Maeve, and Yvonne Strahovski on the TV show Chuck. In addition, Kristen Bell rocked the gold bikini in the film Fanboys (2009).
Star Wars Fans in Princess Leia Cosplay
Star Wars cosplayers worldwide dress up as their favorite Star Wars Characters for Comic Con and carwashes! Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Stormtrooper, Chewie, and our Princess Leia heroine, are fan favorites.
Leia Slave Cosplay With the Giant Slug
The Star Wars Celebration is a gathering of fans celebrating the Star Wars franchise. It started in 1999, when Lucasfilm held the Star Wars Celebration in Denver, Colorado, celebrating the release of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
‘Star Wars' Leia Cosplayers
Subsequent events have taken place, welcoming forthcoming movies and honoring the 30th and 40th anniversaries of the original film's release. But, of course, the Princess Leia slave costume usually draws large numbers.
Leia Slave Cosplay
The bikini Princess ensembles aren't identical. However, they almost always include the bracelets and chain around the neck in captivity look that our Star Wars Princess Leia experienced in Return of the Jedi.
Star Wars Gold Bikini Cosplayers
Many Star Wars cosplayers include the gold snake armband and leather boots in which Carrie Fisher represents Princess Leia. Finally, the color of the skirt varies between deep burgundy, bright pink, and red.
‘Star Wars' Leia Cosplayers
The braid to the side is one of Princess Leia's iconic hairstyles. The other being the buns on each side of her head. Most people that wear the gold bikini sport the braid that she wore. However, many cosplayers rock the outfit with their unique hairstyles.
Star Wars Gold Bikini Cosplayers
Imitating the Star Wars princess was flattery for Carrie Fisher. She said, “My favorite one to see is the metal bikini — on men! That is what has been happening a lot. A lot. And not thin men, by the way!
So that makes me feel good about myself, kind of a before-and-after thing — this is way after. So not only is Princess Leia fatter, but she's also a guy!”
Princess Leia Cosplay
Princess Leia's gold bikini cosplay is represented with beautiful Leia imitators worldwide. They also sell the slave costume at Halloween, but it's certainly not the metal version.
Carrie Fisher as a Playboy Bunny
Carrie Fisher was more than just Princess Leia. In 1982, Fisher competed against Laverne from the show Laverne and Shirley show to star opposite Hugh Heffner as a Playboy Bunny.
Carrie Fisher and Tom Hanks
Carrie Fisher starred in several films, including When Harry Met Sally, The Blues Brothers, Hook, and Scream 3. She also starred opposite Tom Hanks in The Man With One Red Shoe (pictured above), The Burbs, and the mockumentary The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch.
Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia
Image Credit: Lucasfilm LTD
Sadly, Carrie Fisher died of a heart attack on December 27, 2016. Her mother passed away the following day. Fisher starred in the original Star Wars trilogy as well as numerous other films.
She also reprised her Princess Leia role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), The Last Jedi (2017), and a posthumous release that was dedicated to her appeared in The Rise of Skywalker (2019) using unreleased footage from The Force Awakens.
We hope you enjoyed these facts about Princess Leia and her famous gold bikini. Here is the best way to watch the Star Wars movies in order.