As well as the bikini, the unnamed winner received a collar, several chain links, and a letter of authenticity from Star Wars designer Richard Miller.
Fisher disliked the outfit, calling it "what supermodels will eventually wear in the seventh ring of hell.",.
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Whenever I see articles of this sort, I always wonder who these buyers are. Are they extremely rich people with odd collections? Are they creepy men who live in the basement of their parent’s house and spend their life’s savings on one important piece of history? Are they people who are trying to make a museum of historical props and costumes? I’m more than positive that the rubber costume did not cost anywhere near $96,000 to make. It was probably more like in the $100-$200 range.
So why do pieces like this sell for so much? I’m sure the historical significance is one part of it, but I think it is also bragging rights. People are obsessed with owning objects from famous film and theater. The original ruby slippers for The Wizard of Oz are in the National Air and Space museum for crying out loud! What do shoes have to do with Air and Space? Nothing! But people went to go see it anyway because they’re iconic shoes.
Man, the kind of extra money some people just have laying around. The people who purchase goods like these-- where do you then keep it?! But going on about that, individuals who have $96,000 lying around probably have enough space to store their prized possessions on a pedestal in a room by itself. However, I guess sometimes the price can justify itself. This piece of clothing is a part of the cultural mind and has been immortalized in history. I've never seen a lot of Star Wars (more of a Star Trek fan, if I must say) but I know that it has had a strong impact on how the nature of sci-fi has developed. The articles mentions how Star Wars was basically a "boy's fantasy" and therefore would explain the skimpy bikini look because it contrasts strongly with the character that Princess Leia plays.
It is sometimes comical how “historical” and “controversial” mean the same thing. In a sense the must mean the same thing. Someone cared about having princess Leah in a bikini, and someone cared that she was in one, and got angry. While I have to say that I am ashamed that the film industry so often has to resort to sexualizing women in order to get people to come to movies, and that (as I am not the producer of the film) I wouldn’t have minded the people who only wanted to see Leah in a bra not coming to the see the movie. On the other hand, I don’t think there is anything wrong with movies being written and made about things that people want to see. My real problem with the princess Leah bra is that it wasn’t true to her character. One could say that it was only because of Jabba that she was wearing it, but I think the writers still did her character a disservice. We all knew that she was a women, they didn’t need to prove it to us and demean her character.
Wow I just don’t understand the novelty in these type of items. Why would someone pay $96,000 for a bikini wore in a movie? I know that it is probably one of the most famous bikinis in history but what is that person going to do with it now? Put it on display and never do anything with it? That seems a little anti-climactic. Maybe I feel this way because it is so much money for a memorabilia but I also at this point in my life I don’t have that kind of money and even spending $20 on a shirt that I will actually wear is hard for me to do. I just think that that money could be used for something way more important and impactful. People go around throwing money at objects that they will never use when they use their money to save lives.
I know Star Wars is very popular, and people LOVE movie memorabilia, but I can’t imagine spending 96,000 on a bikini, no matter who wore it or what it was in. If i’m paying that much for less than a yard of fabric and some rubber, it better come to me covered in 95,900 worth of diamonds. Not that I can afford that, either way, but I can’t believe that anyone would spend that much on a bikini and a fancy letter. It is beautiful, and looks amazing on her, but what are you going to do with it? wear it? put it in a case and stare at it? (which P.S. is creepy) the bikini is made of "flexible, gold-painted red dense-urethane rubber”. RUBBER. someone just spent almost 100,000 on RUBBER and PAINT. I know many people will disagree with me, and wish they could have bought it, and would see a reason why you would ever spend that much money on rubber paint and some type of spandex, is simply crazy to me.
I love Star Wars. I grew up with the movies, and watching them with my father is one of the best memories I have. As I've grown up I have realized how sexist most science fiction movies are. Yes the Star Wars films are essentially a 1970's nerd's wet dreams. Yes, putting Princess Leia in a bikini is one of the low points in the franchise. Yes, the cast is almost entirely male. These are all horrible problems that still exist in modern film. At least Princess Leia fought back. She contributed to her cause, she led, and she motivated. This is more than any Disney Princess did (until very recently). For a little girl in love with space and dinosaurs, Princess Leia was a role model and a hero. The bikini acts against all this. Leia was not overly sexualized until this point. I hate the fact that Leia is remembered in this way. The change in appearance does sexualize her, but the bikini adds a great deal to Jaba's character as well and influences our opinion of him as a horrible womanizing pig-slug. In the article, Fisher even says that the costume was what "strippers would wear in the seventh layer of hell" (which is where Leia was at the time the costume was worn). Forgive the rant, I just hate to see such a strong female character unnecessarily sexualized by the fans of the films. Paying such an outrageous price for the costume a character wore while being humiliated and sexualizing that scenario is horrible, disgusting, and downright creepy.
I am not going to lie I am super duper excited for the new Star Wars film, like super duper. That being said this bikini is a cultural icon. You can’t go to a comic con, an anime con or gaming con without seeing at least ONE slave Princess Leia. That being said it does mark a point in the series where the Princess finds herself more feminine but I wouldn’t say she’s any less of a badass. You can’t forget that she strangles Jabba the Hutt in this outfit. I’m actually glad I read this article because I’ve always been curious as to what the bikini was made out of. I was pretty sure it wasn’t made of metal but rubber is interesting. Nowadays it would probably be made out of latex. That being said I’m surprised that the bikini did not go for higher. If it started at $80,000 and sold for $96,000 that’s only $16,000 increase. I’m disappointed nerds.
I think this article is really a testament to the significant power icons carry in our society. I grew up watching Star Wars and although I personally always liked to think of Carrie Fisher's character as she appeared fully clothed in A New Hope, Princess Leia's slave costume is so well known and iconic that it's hard to even think of the character without the bikini. Perhaps the costume's successful fame is owed to Richard Miller's clever costume design, or maybe it serves as a better commentary on American society's fondness for over sexualizing women. Yes, it's impressive to hear that the costume sold for as much as $96,000, but in some regards I also feel like it is kind of shameful because the costume is somewhat appalling in it's extremely heightened sexual design, which in many ways completely oppressed the actor within it. This was successful in terms of what the scene demanded, since Jabba likely would of oppressed Leia in such a way story wise, but even so I think the sexual nature of the costume took a lot away from Ms Fisher's ability to really use her acting to define the role. Yes, I understand it became an icon and that the costume now serves as a significant part of pop culture history, but what really resonated with me are Ms. Fischer's words about how she personally disdained the costume, and had to accept that the world of star wars was really all along a man's fantasy.
This reminds me a lot of the article about the Ruby Slippers from last week, and I still hold true to the belief that people put too much value on memorabilia. However, the way that these two stories differ is by the object itself. The article mentions that Carrie Fisher wasn't happy with the costume as it devalued her character, and I have to say that I agree. This so-called "Slave Leia" costume has become as synonymous with her character as her iconic hairstyle. Leia has a lot more to offer than just looks, and it really annoys me when all people think about is this. The director may have been trying to make her more feminine, but there are other ways to do that than to just have her take her clothes off. The fact that someone was willing to pay $96,000 for something that's essential just famous lingerie isn't surprising to me, but it is a little disappointing.
I can definitely see why Carrie Fisher would feel that way about both the costume, and the role of her character in the movie. Regardless, it is a cool piece of ‘Star Wars’ history, not the one that I would chose, but to each their own I guess. They probably purchased it with the intent of cherishing Star Wars, but I think it’s a tad weird when someone buys a used bikini for almost $100,000. What interested me much more than the bikini in this article however, was that the rebel blockade runner was sold. That model is a true piece of cinematic history, and if you ask me it’s a shame that it didn’t go to some museum dedicated to either model making, or cinema, or space exploration, or what have you. It is the star of one of the most iconic movie openings in history, certainly worth the $450k it sold for, but I’d still like to see it displayed for the public.
I absolutely cannot wait for the next Star Wars Movie to come out this December. I have been a lot a bit of a Star Wars nerd since about seventh grade. Yeah… I was the kid who read all of the expanded universe. Yes, I mean all. Even though Disney has cruelly decided that the expanded universe is no longer cannon I am still so ready to see what direction Disney takes this fantastic universe in. That being said, $96,000! I mean seriously! That’s the entire lottery in in the Heights! Satire aside it’s crazy to me that anyone would pay that much money for a costume. I get that it is cool and all but in the end do you actually want to do anything with a costume you paid almost a hundred thousand dollars for? I feel like the costume is going to just end up sitting in a dusty display case as a testimate to impulse buying.
I love my fellow nerds. and the fact that my fellow nerds are also the ones who usually end up being successful. yes, this outfit is fetishistic and probably is a lot of boys introduction to skimpy outfits, so I mean to some nerds it's very important. now it's not necessarily how I would spend my 96,000 dollars, that would be for tuition... but if he's successful enough for something iconic enough to him- kudos. nerds will be nerds.
This article reminds me of the "ruby slippers" article last week. I find it hilarious that a prop or costume from a show can fetch such a high price from a fan- surely after having spent that much money on it they aren't going to be wearing it around...also because it is made of rubber. uncomfortable. Hence it is shocking to me that someone could spend so much money on something that they will never use. What a waste! If it is wanted as a wearable item, surely it would be less expensive and much more fun to make your own. Another interesting thing about this article is Carrie Fisher's thoughts on the bikini and how it devalued her character. Watching the movie, I don't get the feeling that the only reason she is there is for the creating of a fantasy, but when looking at the larger story her comment makes sense. It is disappointing to me, then, that this piece of memorabilia which is associated to the devaluing of her character sold for so much money.
Well I wish I had an extra $96,000 laying around. I don't know if I would buy star wars paraphernalia, but maybe I would buy something equally useless. At any rate, I think the interesting thing here is that something that was essentially a theatre grade prop/costume has now been auctioned off for $96,000. I just think it is funny because we don't normally associate stagecraft level construction of props or costumes to be especially long lasting or that beautiful up close. So for this costume to be valued so highly does seem pretty ridiculous to me. And this bikini was not even the most expensive item sold! The article said that Princess Leia's CR90 Corvette was sold for $450,000! Oh man, that is just truly crazy. I just don't know if I'm a big a fan of anything to spend $450,000 on useless memorabilia, but maybe I just don't get the appeal. Once again, I think I just don't get Star Wars...
It no surprise to me that the costume sold that much because we are a society obsessed with our fandoms and are willing to pay any price for the things we deem valuable and meaningful to us. The issue of what that costume meant to the movie, to the series, and the portrayal of women will always carry in its meaning. In some ways the costume helps continue the dialogue that the women need to be seen more than just sexual objects to keep men entertained and connected to the movie because Star Wars as a whole had so many more complex and interesting plot lines that those alone were strong enough to keep viewers of both genders coming back. It helps a lot to women that costume is not the highest auctioned off piece from the Star Wars and is instead a miniature model of Princess Leia's "Blockade Runner" because it was the very first flying vessel seen in the series and sold for more than 4 times the amount of her slave costume.
I’m sure with it being a Star Wars auction, that it was very popular place to be. The films we grew up with, our parents whose lives were shaped by the force. There is a following behind the films, and as much as any guy would want to have a bikini hanging on the wall, it is not really something that could be enjoyed as much as a storm trooper costume, or like a model of the ships that were in the film. Every piece of work whether it was costumes, set pieces, or props, have a history behind them. As we know that there were some conflicting interests in the film because of how certain characters were portrayed, it becomes a little disheartening. I would love to have something from the film, but we all can’t be as lucky, although I did get to meet Peter Mayhew who played Chewbacca. There’s just so much history into what makes this film a classic that pieces like the bikini and the model makes that history spread apart.
I want to know how the discussion to auction off these pieces went. I imagine it went something like, "Hey guys, how can we make EVEN MORE money off of this franchise?" Also, where does the money go? I would hope that a hefty chunk of it, if not all of it, would go to the designer and creators of the outfit. I also find it funny that the second most popular mention of the outfit is in an episode of Friends. But I am happy to know, and certainly not surprised, that there were more expensive things to be auctioned off. I wonder what the point is when a movie or piece of theatre or art becomes a cultural icon, and how it gets to be that way. I know that Star Wars was something that people had never seen before and the production of the movies used techniques that were otherwise obsolete at the time, but there's something to be said about a fantastic story that keeps the audience hooked for, quite literally in Star Wars' case, generations.
I find it completely hysterical that this article has landed the green page. This is because I would have never guessed that it would, but guess I was wrong. Any who, it does not shock me that the bikini sold for such an expensive sum of money. People will literally pay anything for something that was in a movie or worn by a famous person, or better yet both! I joke with my friends in the acting or musical theater program that they should sign this napkin, so that when they get rich and famous I can sell it on ebay and become filthy rich. As I am clearly making a joke, there are definitely some people out there that make a living selling props or prop look a likes for a living. Hey, it is not what I want to do with my life, but if you want to you do you.
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