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Princess Leia's 'Slave Bikini' Among Costumes on View at Times Sq. Museum

By Anton K. Nilsson | November 13, 2015 1:52pm
 "Star Wars and the Power of Costume," at Discovery TSX, opens Nov. 14 and runs until next fall.   
"Star Wars and the Power of Costume"
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TIMES SQUARE — Original costumes worn by Star Wars characters — including Princess Leia's iconic "slave bikini" and Han Solo's Western-style smuggler's outfit — are among the items going on display at a Times Square exhibit this weekend.

"Star Wars and the Power of Costume," which opens at the Times Square exhibition center Discovery TSX, at 226 W. 44th St., on Nov. 14., includes displays of nearly 60 outfits from all movies of the famed sci-fi franchise.

Uniquely for the New York show, the exhibition concludes with several costumes worn by characters in the upcoming seventh installment, director J.J. Abrams' Disney-sponsored film "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

"Look at the level of detail in this leather work," said curator Saul Sopoci Drake as he pointed to a costume designed for the obscure Jedi Master Luminara Unduli from "Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones."

"It is unbelievable. There has to be a really, incredibly, talented leather worker to create that piece right there," Drake marveled.

Drake confessed a certain fondness for the elaborate works that got little screen time, such as Unduli's dark robes and patterned leather sash.

"I don't necessarily care about the character, but I'm really interested in the costumes," Drake added. "It would be a miss for me in a costume show to not include that costume despite the low stature of the character."

The exhibition was developed by the Smithsonian Institution in collaboration with the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and was previously shown in Seattle.

Through touch screen flipbooks, visitors can follow the creative process that lead to the final ensembles. Displays of concept art reveal, for example, how the British actor Kenny Baker was able to get inside the costume of the tiny droid R2D2.

Drake said the exhibition has been in the works for five years, and that good timing of the New York opening — in the midst of a Star Wars mania that has gripped the city in anticipation of the Dec. 18 North American premiere of "The Force Awakens" — is just a happy coincidence.

"We're fortunate to be able to kind of glom on to Disney's new movies that are coming out," Drake said.

"Star Wars and the Power of Costume" will be showing at Discovery TSX until next fall. Adult tickets go for $27.50.