With great sadness, we inform you that multiple Emmy-nominated and CDG Award-winning costume designer Shawna Trpcic has passed away unexpectedly. Shawna was one of Hollywood's pre-eminent science fiction costume designers — a creative force, a trusted collaborator, and all-around delightful person for her friends and colleagues. She was a beloved member of the Star Wars/Lucasfilm family, as well as the community of costume designers and the Costume Designers Guild.
Born in Artesia, CA, Shawna wanted to be a truck driver in high school but had an art teacher who wanted her to be an artist. He inspired her to attend Otis College of Art and Design for fashion and she continued to keep in touch with him. In her senior year, she worked on Bob Mackie’s team. Shawna was someone who was always into science fiction and comic books. Costume design for her “was like creating fine art for the body because you're creating this dimensional character, and I was hooked immediately."
Shawna got her start illustrating for Albert Wolsky on the Oscar-winning film Bugsy and then became his assistant on Barry Levinson's film Toys. She was soon designing her own films. Notable feature credits include The Cabin in the Woods, working with Joss Whedon, and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run, along with many television shows. She worked for Jill Ohanneson as the assistant costume designer on the pilot of Firefly and eventually took over the show. A Firefly fan who worked at Skywalker Ranch asked her if she would like a tour, and there she met George Lucas. Fifteen years later, she received the call to design The Mandalorian, fulfilling a lifelong dream to design for Star Wars.
Of course, Shawna was most known for her enormous contributions to Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni's shows in the Star Wars Universe. She designed multiple seasons of The Mandalorian, as well as The Book of Boba Fett and most recently Ahsoka, which earned her the best notices of her career. She loved collaborating with Jon and Dave, who were the dream team for her, along with working with the actors and with her huge costume design team. To house all of her creations, Lucasfilm established a warehouse in Manhattan Beach that held thousands of her costumes from all the shows. For her work, Shawna received multiple Emmy nominations and is nominated for Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes for The Mandalorian Season 3 at the upcoming Emmys, her third nomination. She won the Costume Designers Guild Award for Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Television for The Book of Boba Fett. A staple at every Star Wars Celebration, Shawna loved interacting with the fans and would often judge the cosplay competitions.
Shawna was a staunch advocate for pay equity for costume designers and was an active member of the Costume Designers Guild, regularly attending events and fighting for equal pay.
Shawna will be dearly missed by her family, friends, and collaborators. She is remembered by her mother Rana and her two children, Joseph and Sarah Trpcic. A fund has been created on behalf of her children (Link here), and a memorial to Shawna will be announced at a later date.
