Issue 196 of Star Wars Insider is heading our way at lightspeed, landing 17th March in the States and a month later in the UK and StarWars.com take a look inside the covers, including a peek inside the legendary Lucasfilm Archives.
Caring for the props and costumes inside the Lucasfilm Archive takes on a literal meaning when collections and exhibitions archivist Madlyn Burkert has to lug Chewbacca’s furry suit to the LDAC locker room for a cleansing shampoo and deep conditioner. The layers of real yak hair tend to get grimy while traveling the galaxy on set, and it’s up to Burkert to ensure the costume remains pristine. “We didn’t have an outdoor hose spray-down setup like they did at Pinewood Studios,” Burkert explains. “But we did our best. We washed him in the shower and then we hung him up to dry.” The whole process took a week, with the suit draped carefully over an air vent and a collection of fans blowing cool air at it from different angles. “Then we literally curled his hair and styled it,” she smiles.
