Is Princess Leia’s ‘Star Wars’ Bikini the Most Controversial Costume in Sci-Fi History?

A gold bikini worn by actress Carrie Fisher during the filming of Return of the Jedi, the third installment in the original Star Wars trilogy, has sold for $175,000.

The controversial outfit, which Fisher donned as Princess Leia on the set of the 1983 movie, sold last week during a two-day auction of Hollywood paraphernalia hosted by Dallas-based Heritage Auctions.

The seven-piece costume—which is “among the most memorable in the Star Wars franchise,” according to the lot listing—includes a bracelet, two hip rings, an armlet, a bikini brassiere and two bikini plates.

Leia wears the bikini at the beginning of the movie, after she is forced into slavery by crime lord Jabba the Hutt. The version that sold on Friday was not the one that made it into the final version of the film, but rather an earlier iteration that Fisher wore on set for screen testing.

"Return of the Jedi" Slave Leia Scene - HD Edition

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Since Return of the Jedi debuted more than four decades ago, Leia’s costume has taken on a life of its own, becoming “something of a mini-trope in popular culture,” wrote the Washington Post’s Alyssa Rosenberg in 2015. It’s been referenced in “Friends,” “Family Guy,” and many other TV shows and movies.

The bikini has also elicited strong reactions over the years—both positive and negative—leading Slate’s Laura Bradley to conclude in 2015 that “perhaps no sci-fi costume has been so replicated, reviled and worshipped.”

Fisher, who died in 2016 at age 60, wasn’t shy about expressing her distaste for the costume, which some onlookers have criticized for sexualizing and objectifying Leia. As the actress told Terry Gross, host of NPR’s “Fresh Air,” in 2016, the bikini meant she was “nearly naked,” which was “not a style choice for me.”

Fisher added, “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 also told Daisy Ridley, who plays a leading role in the 2015 Star Wars film The Force Awakens, to “fight for your outfit.”

“Don’t be a slave like I was,” Fisher said in a conversation with Ridley for Interview magazine. “You keep fighting against that slave outfit.”

And one of the most memorable costumes in film history--the Carrie Fisher "Princess Leia" production- made bikini; *THE* gold bikini--just sold for $175,000. https://t.co/dtac8J5qpo pic.twitter.com/b7aZoctCcm

— Heritage Auctions (@HeritageAuction) July 26, 2024

In addition to being revealing, the costume was uncomfortable to wear. Richard Miller, the chief sculptor for visual effects company Industrial Light and Magic, made the bikini out of stiff resin and urethane, based on sketches by costume designer Nilo Rodis-Jamero.

Miller formed the different costume pieces using a mannequin that had been cast from Fisher’s body. But Fisher later lost weight, so when it came time to film the scene with Jabba the Hutt, the costume didn’t fit very well, according to a behind-the-scenes documentary.

Other pieces of science fiction memorabilia also commanded high prices at last week’s auction. A Y-wing starfighter prop from the original 1974 Star Wars film brought in $1.55 million, while a poster for Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home sold for $106,250. The sale included more than 500 items with ties to Hollywood, including props, costumes, awards, original artwork and scripts.

“I’ve said it repeatedly: Collectors’ desire to own a piece of Hollywood history remains intense and insatiable, and we take great pride and pleasure in sharing these indelible moments,” says Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, in a statement.

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Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. She covers history, science, travel, food and beverage, sustainability, economics and other topics.