Imperial Stormtrooper helmet, Star Wars: A New Hope, 2003

FX / Galaxy Trading Sculpt

Vacuuformed ABS

The Imperial Stormtrooper is one of the most iconic costumes from the Star Wars franchise. In 1975,
director George Lucas hired British Costume Designer John Mollo to design the uniforms for his science
fiction film, Star Wars. Lucas specifically wanted his film’s costumes to look as though they came from
the real world, and working from concept art from artist Ralph McQuarrie, Mollo drew inspiration for the
Imperial soldiers and officers from the designs of Nazi Germany’s uniforms. When the film went into
production in 1976, Lucasfilm hired Andrew Ainsworth’s Shepperton Design Studios to produce the
physical costumes for the Stormtroopers, TIE Pilots, and Rebel Pilots.

From the film’s release, Star Wars fans have worked to replicate its iconic costumes that same year. Sean
Schoenke recreated Darth Vader’s costume that summer; TJ Burnside Clapp made her own X-Wing pilot
for Halloween that year; and David Rhea produced his own Darth Vader and Stormtrooper costumes.

In 1982, an outlet called Marco Enterprises began advertising their own prop replicas, beginning with
Star Wars. Marco sculpted his own suit of stormtrooper armor (now known as “Marco” armor), which he
offered for sale via mail order. He eventually attracted a lawsuit from Lucasfilm and ended the practice.

However, his armor became the basis for another fan-sculpted armor suit, called the FX and sometimes,
Galaxy Trading. Like the Marco suit, it was sculpted from scratch, rather than copied from the original,
screen-used costumes from the film. As a result, the armor isn’t considered screen-accurate, and there
are noted differences between the two. Nonetheless, the armor was incredibly popular amongst fans: it
came pre-trimmed in a single package, along with a set of directions for its construction. It’s since been
eclipsed by other, more accurate sculpts, many of which draw a direct lineage to the screen-used
costumes.