Friday, December 18, 2020: It’s nearly the weekend, which is a treat in itself, but today also marks The Mandalorian Season 2 finale—and the launch of the Star Wars x Gigi Burris collaboration. The six-piece, luxury unisex line is inspired by the original George Lucas trilogy. The capsule collection uniquely conserves the films’ magic with a stylish twist that takes the form of modern millinery.
If you’re new to designer Gigi Burris’s namesake label, the couture company is based in New York City. Burris is devoted to preserving the traditions of millinery and techniques like hand-blocking by handcrafting designs using meticulously sourced materials. Her celebrity fans include, but aren’t limited to Rihanna, Bella Hadid, and Madonna.
The Parsons alum started developing the Star Wars x Gigi Burris collection in 2019 with extensive sketching. “We had progressed to the middle stages of sample prototyping when all was halted due to the pandemic,” she tells GRAZIA. “Once New York City opened back up, it was full speed ahead on the sampling process and finalizing each specific detail.”
Local production is one of the core values of the Gigi Burris brand, and she tells us that right now, amid the global pandemic, it’s “more important than ever before” to support fashion manufacturers. “It’s been heartbreaking to see multi-generational factories close their doors amid the pandemic,” she tells us.
“It is essential to support New York City production to preserve this artisanal craftsmanship and sow seeds into our local economy. “Each of our hats is hand-blocked in Brooklyn using the same technique that has been used for centuries and receives trimming in our atelier. The metallic hair accessories are handcrafted in the Garment Center.
“The collection draws inspiration from the original trilogy of movies, so I certainly re-watched them with a new eye,” Burris tells GRAZIA. “The Lucas Film team generously allowed us to pull images of the original costumes and film stills featuring character details. I love the ominous score by John Williams, so this played in the background while sketching and concept boarding.”
Burris’s favorite piece from the collection is the sleek, tiara-like headband named Tiara Threepio. “It is a piece that you could wear to an intimate evening cocktail and only be recognized as Star Wars inspired by a fellow fan,” she explains. In contrast, there’s the Star Wars x Gigi Burris bucket hat that’s perfect for fans of the trilogy who want to stand out.
Keep scrolling to shop the Star Wars x Gigi Burris collaboration.
Burris is only putting 20 of these re-imagined bucket hats into production, making it the most limited item in the line. We’re obsessed with how it casts a red shadow across the face to emulate a lightsaber.
This textured headband is inspired by none other than Chewbacca™. The brown suede piece is detailed with metallic thread filaments that represent the character’s iconic bandolier.
The sharina is a core Gigi Burris silhouette, hand blocked into a pinched crow. This one captures the essence of the infamous Darth Vader™. Its hand-sewn black leather trim takes inspiration from his signature helmet.
Made with 14-karat gold plated metal, this modern, tiara-like headband is inspired by C-3PO’s robotic features.
The collection wouldn’t be complete without a Yoda-inspired headpiece. This delicate style is plated in rose gold.
This version incorporates opal Swarovski crystals, showcased in the intricate molding of the Yoda ears. Oh, and it’s Whoopi Goldberg-approved.
