Star Wars Costume Renderings Technology Fashion Warrior

Michael Kaplan is i of the topcostume designersworking in film today. He is an incredibly versatile designer, having designed such iconic sci-fi films asBlade Runner, for which he won a BAFTA, likewise asStar Expedition andStar Trek Into Darkness, but also masters the historic and modern beautifully with such credits every bitPearl Harbor, Clue, Fight Society, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, andChristmas Vacation. He too nearly single-handedly set the 1980s off-the-shoulder-sweater trend with his costume design forFlashdance. It is no wonder that he was trusted with designing the costumes for one of the most anticipated films of the decade, and the responsibility of shaping 1 of the most famous franchises in film history! Michael shares with united states some exciting insight into his process onStar Wars: The Forcefulness Awakens , and some great details virtually textiles and technology.

Star Wars: The Strength Awakens. Costume Design by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

Star Wars: The Forcefulness Awakens. Costume Design by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

Tyranny of Style: Can you talk to us nearly the inspiration and thought procedure that went into designing Rey?

Michael Kaplan: "When I began designing Rey's costume (the first costume I decided to tackle) no actress had notwithstanding been cast. I like when this happens, in that I am not influenced past body type, familiarity with the actor'south previous work, etc. and this enables me to bargain with the character totally considerately. Of course I had already read the script, which is e'er my initial road map in discovering a character. I knew that Rey lived and worked in an oppressively hot and dusty desert climate. I knew her life equally a scavenger required a certain agility. I knew she was poor. I knew she drove a speeder. By taking all of these 'clues' I was able to build a believable character from the inside out.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Costume Blueprint by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015 Photo Credit: GameZone

Star Wars: The Strength Awakens. Costume Pattern by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

Every garment she wears has a reason or purpose; nothing is superfluous. For example, the gauze fabric she wears crossed on her body tin be wrapped around her face in sand storms. Her head wrap keeps her pilus out of her face while working, and keeps the grit out of her hair- it'due south really a tunic, with the sleeves tied around her head. This tunic can exist worn on chilly desert nights.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Costume Blueprint by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Costume Pattern past Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

Rey wears a pair of goggles to protect her eyes from the intense dominicus and dust kicked up while riding the speeder. At close inspection it becomes axiomatic that the goggles are abode crafted and the lenses are old Stormtrooper eyes she must have scavenged from spaceship wreckage. If noticed, this touch on gives information virtually the character's ingenuity; if not, they nonetheless look good. Rey's color palette just seemed appropriate for her environment."

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Costume Design past Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

T/S: I am fascinated by how you went about updating elements, but staying truthful to the source material. Tin you talk to united states nigh how y'all institute that balance with the Rebels and the New Order?

MK: "Episode VII followsTHE Render OF THE JEDI. It's the same world, we just haven't been in that location in a while. I saw that my chore was to revisit that world (albeit xxx years later), not to fix it, brand it better or reinvent it. When I began working on the war machine uniforms (Rebels and New Social club) I did want to brand a clear distinction between the 2 forces. When I initially sawSTAR WARS, I recall beingness confused as to which camp I was in. I did this by creating two diverse colour palates; The Rebels in earthier tones, rusts, ochre, olive drab, sienna brown.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Costume Pattern by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Costume Design by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015 Photo Credit: GameZone

Star Wars: The Strength Awakens. Costume Pattern by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Costume Design by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

The New Social club in black, charcoal gray, teal blue, and of form white for all the Stormtroopers, Snowtroopers and Flame Troopers. The Insubordinate fabrics were rumpled woolens, felted wool, cotton fiber duck and twill, all very softly tailored. The New Lodge fabrics are polished wools and synthetics, some with smooth, their tailoring, hard edged with strong heroic silhouettes (retrieve 1980'south Thierry Mugler)."

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Costume Design by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Costume Blueprint by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

T/Southward: Your design for the Kickoff Order Stormtroopers is just astounding. Where did you starting time in searching for ideas to update such an iconic costume in moving-picture show history?

MK: "The original Stormtroopers are amazing and take come to be some of the almost iconic costumes in the franchise. It was important to update them to prove that 30 years had passed, but more important not to lose their recognizable appearance. This was something that both JJ and myself felt strongly and had many discussions virtually. In addition to updating the design of the Stormtroopers information technology was necessary to update them for strength and condolement.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Costume Design by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

The originals were vacuum-formed in thin plastic. They were brittle and croaky easily. The new script was calling for a lot of action and stunt work that would require tougher armor. The suits were molded out of polyurethane, much stronger and in 'sure areas' more flexible for comfort. They expect and perform a lot more solidly, which was of import for today'south more than sophisticated moviegoers. "

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Costume Pattern past Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

T/Due south: How did y'all go about adapting the Commencement Order Stormtrooper design for the other trooper variations?

MK: "I wanted the Flametroopers and Snowtroopers to have slits through which they looked out, inspired past some Inuit eye covers I saw at The Pitt-Rivers Museum of Natural History at Oxford. Of course, STAR WARS was immense, and I relied heavily on my brilliant concept artists who were constantly solving design issues. There were many beautiful designs that we were all coming upward with, but my constant concern was that they all 'vest' in the STAR WARS universe. This required a great deal of editing."

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Costume Design by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015 Photograph Credit: GameZone

Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Costume Design by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015 Photo Credit: GameZone

Star Wars: The Forcefulness Awakens. Costume Design by Michael Kaplan ©Lucasfilm 2015

T/S: What was the inspiration backside designing the incredible Captain Phasma costume?

MK: "While prepping a movie, I often get to museums for inspiration. London is an amazing identify to do this. I beloved The Wallace Collection and would spend hours roaming their armor collections looking at unique and interesting forms. Before going at that place, I had had an image in my mind of a suit of silver armor, inspired by the forms of the Storm Troopers. I described the image to Dermot Power, one of our concept artists, and asked if he would accept a go at it. The result was an astonishing illustration.

There was no spot in the movie for this shining armor, but I loved looking at it. I hung it on the wall in our pattern room. Ane 24-hour interval Kathy Kennedy and JJ came in for a meeting. She stared at the sketch and pointed; 'WHAT IS THAT!?!' JJ loved it too and created the role of Captain Phasma. In a moment of brilliance, (ane of many) he hired Gwendolyn Christie for the function. The armor is actually argent plated."

T/S: Kylo Ren is by far one of the about striking costumes of the film. Tin can you talk to us about the overall process for designing this costume?

MK: "Kylo Ren was probably the hardest character to conquer. Throughout the years at that place take been so many superheroes created. It is difficult to come up up with a pattern that doesn't, in some way, feel derivative. My squad and I worked very closely with JJ trying to detect a mode to show Kylo'southward admiration of Darth Vader; emulating without imitating. JJ too wanted the mask to have a quality that, maybe on a billboard would be 'wondrous' to a child. We liked the reflective curving lines on the mask; they feel very 1970'south, the decade during which, all this began.

All of Kylo's garments have strong textures for interest. The hood textile has a foiled finish for sheen; because he'due south in all shades of blackness, I was worried virtually losing definition in nighttime lighting situations. His sleeves were made of heavy sheet, which was dyed and intentionally unevenly pleated, then waxed. I love the resulting patina."

T/S: I am blown away by the admittedly impeccable tailoring of General Hux. Tin can you tell united states about the inspiration for his costume?

MK: "Yeah, nosotros have an first-class tailor working with us who was able to go the extreme silhouettes I was after. I loved the thought of him sometimes stylishly donning his greatcoat on his shoulders, like a cape."

A huge thanks to Michael Kaplan for taking time out of his incredibly decorated schedule to share his process with us. And I don't think whatsoever of you need whatever prodding to become run into Star Wars: The Force Awakens, in theatres this weekend!