The Acolyte is coming to an end on Tuesday night, with creator Leslye Hedland hoping for more seasons in the future. Throughout the show’s run, the costumes have been consistently impressive. Star Wars has always been known for its great costumes, but the costumes in Acolyte stand out as the first show set in the High Republic era, which has been explored in books and comics over the past five years.
Jennifer L. Bryan, the costume designer for the show, has previously worked on shows like Breaking Bad and Halt & Catch Fire. In a recent blog post on Star Wars’ website, she shared her process for creating the costumes for the series’ cast. Along with taking inspiration from previous Star Wars media, such as Trisha Biggar’s prequel costumes, Bryan and her team also looked at real-world warrior clothing for ideas.
For example, Amandla Stenberg’s character Osha wears a primary outfit that is a combination of a flight suit and mechanic coveralls, inspired by soldiers from the Vietnam War. Osha’s sister Mae’s design draws inspiration from warrior tribes in Africa, Asia, and Europe throughout history. Bryan wanted Mae’s outfit to look like a combination of different warrior eras but not specific to any one culture. Various elements like bamboo strips and chainmail were inspired by samurai, Byzantine knights, and Roman gladiators.
Some of the characters’ costumes are clearly inspired by iconic Star Wars characters like Vader and Kylo Ren, while others have more surprising influences. The white gown worn by Leia inspired the ivory colors of Indara, and the layers of her costume were designed with action scenes in mind. Qimir’s costume had to be agile and athletic, with a hand-sculpted cortosis gauntlet being a standout piece.
The season finale of The Acolyte will air this Tuesday on Disney+. While photos of the main cast have been shared, more details about the costumes can be found on Bryan’s blog, including insights into the costumes for characters like Sol, Mother Aniseya, and Yor.
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