Ahsoka wins Creative Arts Emmy for the late costume designer Shawna Trpcic

The Creative Arts Emmy Awards were announced this past weekend. Disney+ original Ahsoka was up for five of the categories ranging from Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-hour) and Animation to Outstanding Period or Fantasy/Sci-Fi Hairstyling. It is no surprise to fans of the series that the award the creative team took home was for Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes.

The head of the team that won this prize was Shawna Trpcic, sharing the distinction with Elissa Alcala. Trpcic, a California native, studied fashion at the Otis College of Art and Design. She studied with Bob Mackie, the Oscar-nominated costume designer behind The Star Wars Holiday Special. After beginning her career in films in 1990 as an illustrator, she began building her portfolio in costume design. Sci-fi fans should remember her work on the Joss Whedon project Firefly. She also designed the costumes for Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing, The Cabin in the Woods, Dollhouse, and Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog.

Acclaimed for her work in the Star Wars universe, Trpcic received nominations for The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett prior to Ahsoka. She passed away unexpectedly in October 2023, and Ahsoka was her last project.

Shawna Trpcic's work excelled in Star Wars: Ahsoka

This Emmy Award was specifically designated for the series' eighth episode, "The Jedi, the Witch, and the Warlord." The culmination of the series saw Morgan Elsbeth elevated by the Nightsisters while Grand Admiral Thrawn sent the Night Troopers against the Jedi and their allies. It included necromancy and a returning hero as Ezra Bridger finally reunited with Hera Syndulla. The visual demands of the episode were on a massive scale, so let's review what won the show's first Emmy award.

Within the Imperial hierarchy and that of its allies, we had Grand Admiral Thrawn, the impeccably uniformed warlord of the title in his white uniform. At the other end of the spectrum were the Nightsisters named for the Greek fates (adapted spelling of Lachesis, Cotho, and Atropos) in flowing crimson gowns and headdresses that recalled orthodox liturgical robes or traditional impressions of witches in our galaxy. Between these was Morgan, whose black and scarlet attire had a structured silhouette reminiscent of some Old Republic Jedi but with military details that hinted at her alliance with Imperial commanders.

Ahsoka is in opposition to this. She spends a great deal of the episode covered by a white hooded cloak, but her clothing once uncovered is functional and an evolved version of the robes she wore as Anakin Skywalker's apprentice.

Ezra Bridger's costume looked utterly scrounged, which is understandable since he basically reached this galaxy with the shirt on his back. The homemade pauldron and makeshift mail under his tunic were wonderful touches. Sabine Wren was, as always, sporting her Mandalorian armor, which marked a stark contrast to the making-do approach to wardrobe maintenance.

One of the most visually interesting elements of Thrawn's Imperial forces is the design of his troopers. All of their armor shows wear and tear. Faceplates have been patched using gold. Scoring or damage has been remedied with red straps. Some of the armor is chipped or ground down.

All in all, Trpcic and Alcalca have made the far-flung fighters of the Star Wars universe realistic and compelling through their costume visions. Congratulations to the team for this honor.