Carrie Fisher’s Iconic ‘Return of the Jedi’ Bikini Sells for $175,000 at Auction.
A golden bikini costume famously worn by Carrie Fisher in “Return of the Jedi” has recently sold for an astonishing $175,000 at auction. This iconic seven-piece outfit, which includes hip rings, an armlet, and a bracelet, was acquired by an anonymous bidder during a major two-day event. This auction featured over 500 pieces of Hollywood memorabilia, drawing interest from collectors worldwide.
The costume holds a special place in the hearts of “Star Wars” fans, as it was worn by Princess Leia when she was captured by Jabba the Hutt. Heritage Auctions, based in Dallas, hosted this remarkable sale and noted the outfit as “among the most memorable” in the “Star Wars” series. Despite its popularity, the costume has also faced criticism for its portrayal of Fisher’s character. In a 2016 interview with NPR, Fisher expressed her discomfort, describing how she felt “nearly naked” and explaining, “It wasn’t my choice. When [director] George Lucas showed me the outfit, I thought he was kidding, and it made me very nervous.”
The bikini was designed by costume designer Nilo Rodis-Jamero and created by jeweler and sculptor Richard Miller using resin and urethane. Miller, who passed away in 2022, shared in a behind-the-scenes documentary that the “skimpy” appearance of the costume was intended to show Princess Leia’s growth throughout the trilogy. He recalled George Lucas’s vision to illustrate Leia’s maturity over the series, saying, “The three episodes spanned a certain amount of time, so she got mature. And that’s why the slave costume was introduced.”
Despite its artistic intentions, Fisher reportedly “didn’t like” the bikini, which she found ill-fitting. Miller noted that although the garment was designed using a mannequin cast from Fisher’s body, weight changes during filming meant that “the costume really hung on her.”
The two-day auction concluded with an impressive total of $5.9 million in sales. Among other notable items was a model of the Y-wing starfighter used in “A New Hope,” which sold for $1.55 million, making it the third-most expensive “Star Wars” prop ever auctioned. The record is currently held by an X-wing model that sold for $3.1 million, followed by an R2-D2 unit that fetched $2.75 million in 2017.
In addition to “Star Wars” memorabilia, the auction featured an original “Scrooge McDuck” artwork that sold for over $312,000, and the Oscar awarded to Celeste Holm in 1974, which went for $93,750. A wand used by Daniel Radcliffe in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” fetched nearly $94,000, while other film props like a hammer from “Thor: The Dark World” and a sword from “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” also achieved substantial sums.
Reflecting on the auction, Joe Maddalena, executive vice president of Heritage Auctions, stated, “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.”
