Star Wars costume designer John Mollo dies at 86 – CNET

It’s hard to envision the Star Wars saga without its distinctive look, from Darth Vader’s imposing cape and helmet to Obi-Wan Kenobi’s hooded cloak. John Mollo, the Academy Award-winning costume designer who helped create those memorable images, died Oct. 25 of vascular dementia at the age of 86, the Times of London reported.

Star Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, called Mollo “brilliant” and a “crucial man in look of [“Star Wars” and “The Empire Strikes Back“]. He shared a photo from the 1978 Oscars showing Mollo with Darth Vader and actress Natalie Wood, who presented the statuette.

Mollo won his first costume-design Oscar for the original 1977 “Star Wars” and later shared one for 1983’s “Gandhi.” He also worked on “Alien,” “Chaplin,” “Event Horizon” and “The Three Musketeers,” among other films.

His fascination with military history showed in the Star Wars costuming, and he also wrote numerous books on the subject, including “Uniforms of the American Revolution.”