![]() This sealed the bikini as indeed a defining moment in pop culture history.Īnd in the 40 years since, the iconic image has been reproduced on posters, cardboard cutouts, and fridge magnets parodied in shows like "Friends" and "Family Guy " and even copied by Kim Kardashian. Aron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty ImagesĪround the time the movie was released, Fisher graced the cover and pages of Rolling Stone magazine wearing the outfit in a now-infamous beach photo shoot. While "Return of the Jedi" raked in over $475 million upon release, the impact of Leia's gold bikini was felt beyond just the box office.Ĭarrie Fisher posing in the Princess Leia bikini next to Darth Vader, a Gamorrean Guard, and an Ewok. "You can wear a gold bikini and not be undermined as a leader providing it's your choice," adds Harrison. The takeaway, then, at least for some viewers, is empowerment. She's racing around in the film as the heroes are escaping as if she's wearing a comfy yoga outfit," says Richau. "Jabba chose the outfit to sexualize and demean her, and Leia shows her strength once again by not being thrown off or slowed down by it. That sentiment is echoed by Amy Richau, the author of "Star Wars I Love You. "This is such an iconic power move - literally using the chains that oppress you to overcome your oppressor," says Harrison.Īccording to Harrison, the scene, from a "broader, feminist perspective," symbolizes that "men's attempts to demean a woman based on her clothing fail." In doing so, Leia quickly re-established herself as the capable character we had always known her to be, and sent a message to women and girls around the world that still reverberates today. In true Leia style, however, the resourceful heroine turns the tables, killing Jabba with the very chains he had shackled her in. And, lest we forget, it's not just a bikini that she's wearing - she's in chains." "It's designed to sexualize and expose her, and to make her more physically vulnerable in a dangerous space. "It's a world away from her typical conservative costuming," Harrison tells Insider. Becca Harrison, a lecturer in film and media at the UK's Open University and author of the 2020 book "BFI Film Classics: The Empire Strikes Back," points out. Here, we see her stripped of her agency, as Dr. Until this point in the original "Star Wars" trilogy, Leia had largely been depicted as headstrong, and a gutsy fighter. And so, a piece of cinema history was born. Leia masquerades as a bounty hunter to free Han, but it turns out Jabba has laid a trap for her - imprisoning the princess as his slave in a gold bikini. ![]() In the opening moments, Princess Leia - played by the late Carrie Fisher - and Luke Skywalker ( Mark Hamill) mount a mission to save Han Solo (Harrison Ford) from sluglike gangster Jabba the Hutt. Little did they know that the first 20 minutes of the sequel would deliver something nearly as iconic as that Daddy Darth reveal. When moviegoers first sat down to watch "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi" 40 years ago, they were likely eager to find out what would happen after the devastating cliffhanger to 1980's "The Empire Strikes Back." ![]() The hero was forced to wear it when she was captured by space gangster Jabba the Hutt.Įxperts tell Insider how the costume has evolved from a symbol of oppression to empowerment. Aron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty ImagesĬarrie Fisher wore a famous gold bikini in "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi," released 40 years ago Thursday. Carrie Fisher wearing the Princess Leia bikini in the sea.
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