Lucasfilm catch up with costume designer Sarah Young, who worked on the debut season of Willow, discussing the costumes and influences behind the Disney Plus series.
Early in the process, Young met showrunner Jonathan Kasdan, and the two connected over their similar visions for the costume design. “I did a lot of mood boards to show what I think we could do for each character. Jon loved them and the way I approached it,” she says. “He’d give me feedback and push me.” In addition to Kasdan, her close collaborators included production designer Kristian Milsted, makeup and hair designer Pippa Woods, and creature effects supervisor Neal Scanlan, along with the directors, producers, cinematographers, and visual effects supervisors for each episode.
Among numerous sources used for research and inspiration, the original Willow movie itself played the most important role. For Young, respecting the precedent of the beloved film was essential to approaching the new designs. “I knew there was a big fanbase, and I know what it’s like when things are revived and aren’t respectful. But at the same time, so much has changed and it needed to connect with new fans as well,” she says. “That would require a modern influence.”
Young’s research began with both historical and modern Japanese designs, something that had also influenced executive producer George Lucas, director Ron Howard, and artist Jean Giraud (known as Moebius) on the original. She was fascinated by Akira Kurosawa’s black-and-white epic Seven Samurai (1954), wherein each character’s costume expressed their own individuality.
