Shawna Trpcic, the Emmy-nominated costume designer who greatly influenced the looks of “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka,” has died. She was 56 years old.
Shawna Trpcic’s death has been confirmed by the Hollywood Costume Designers Guild.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you that Emmy Award-nominated and CDG Award-winning costume designer Shawna Trpcic has passed away unexpectedly”, the guild wrote on Instagram (via Variety). “Shawna was one of Hollywood’s most prominent sci-fi costume designers – a creative force, a trusted collaborator, and a charming person to her friends and colleagues. She was a beloved member of the Star Wars/Lucasfilm family, as well as the costume design community and the Costume Designers Guild.”
Earlier this year, Shawna Trpcic had earned an Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costume Design category for his work on The Mandalorian. In an interview with Variety, she spoke about her work in the world of Star Wars and her approach which was to always serve the fans first. For The Mandalorian, his job was to find a way to honor the show’s aesthetic and “return the favor to the fans,” while also finding ways to make its characters unique. She notably hid details in her costumes, like Easter eggs, a tradition she started in season 2. But first and foremost, it started with the storyline. The costume designer declared: “I imagine myself there, in each scene, as a character or a warrior, and what I would do in each case.”
Born October 18, 1966 in Artesia, California, a suburb of Los Angeles, Shawna Trpcic has accumulated over 47 television and film credits during his career. She made her debut as a costume designer on the horror film Mom of 1990 and then worked on productions such as Apparences and The Cabin in the Woods on the cinema side, or Firefly, Angel, Dollhouse, Torchwood and Witches of East End on the television side.
A BIG STAR WARS FAN ABOVE ALL
A diehard Star Wars fan, she joined the franchise for the first time during season 2 of The Mandalorianbefore then working on The Book of Boba Fett and more recently on Ahsoka.
The executive producer of The Mandalorian Jon Favreau, and the showrunner of Ahsoka Dave Filoni, praised the costume designer’s contribution to the Star Wars universe.
In an article published on StarWars.com, the latter wrote: “Shawna had a deep love and appreciation for Star Wars. You can see it in every job she has done with us. She loved everything about being a part of these stories, including connecting with fans and being part of this community. I feel like she’s always been a part of Star Wars. Her costumes tell a story, suggesting a life experience that happened before the cameras rolled. I loved working with Shawna and will miss her presence.”
Jon Favreau added: “His creativity brought this world to life. She will be greatly missed as a friend and colleague.”
Actress Ming-Wa Nen, who worked with her on The Book of Boba Fettalso remembered the costume designer: “She was always there for her actors. His designs helped us tell the stories and establish the characters. She worked tirelessly, with passion and with so much humor. We had so much fun together.”
In total, Shawna Trpcic received three Emmy Award nominations and won two Costume Designer Guild Awards for excellence in science fiction/fantasy television.
She is survived by her son, Joseph, and her daughter, Sarah.