Princess Leia's iconic gold bikini, famously worn by the late Carrie Fisher in Star Wars, has been auctioned for $175,000. The costume, which gained fame in the 1983 film Return of the Jedi when Fisher's character was chained to Jabba the Hutt's throne, was auctioned by Heritage Auctions in the US on Friday.
The seven-piece ensemble includes a bikini brassiere, bikini plates, hip rings, an armlet, and a bracelet. It was designed by the late Richard Miller, chief sculptor for Industrial Light & Magic, the visual effects company founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas, The Guardian reported.
A miniature Y-Wing Starfighter from the first Star Wars film, A New Hope, sold for US$1.55 million. This miniature, which played a role in the destruction of the Death Star, was one of only two created for the production and was designed by US artist Colin Cantwell. Lucas had directed that the film's aircraft should have distinct shapes to help the audience easily distinguish between the "good guys" and "bad guys."
Other notable items at the Hollywood auction included a movie poster from Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home by Bob Peak, which sold for $106,250; a Thor hammer from Marvel's Thor: The Dark World, which sold for $81,250; and a Mandalorian helmet, which fetched $40,000.
The wand used by Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban sold for $52,000, and an outfit worn by Macauley Culkin in the first Home Alone film sold for $47,500.
Princess Leia's gold bikini has become one of the most famous costumes in film history. It last sold for $96,000 at a Star Wars memorabilia auction in 2015. Fisher, who had strong feelings about the costume, revealed in 2016 that she initially thought Lucas was "kidding" when he showed her the bikini, feeling "nearly naked, which is not a style choice for me." Miller added soft material to the costume for Fisher's comfort, though she still didn't like it. "I don't blame her," Miller once said. "I did put leather on the back of it to help it feel better."
