A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, John Mollo had just finished working as a historical adviser on Stanley Kubrick’s film Barry Lyndon when he was invited to spend the Christmas of 1975 discussing an unnamed new science-fiction film. “Since I had just finished the work for Kubrick I thought I’d investigate and met George Lucas at Elstree Studios in Borehamwood,” he recalled.

The discussions led to Mollo being hired as the costume designer for what became Star Wars, creating the outfits worn by Darth Vader, Leia Organa, Han Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi and the stormtroopers. By early 1976 he and Lucas were meeting each week to review ideas. “My modus operandi is sketching,” said Mollo. “If George liked something, he said