- "Sabé, we'll have to use the lakeside gown. It's the fanciest thing we packed, and we are not expecting danger. See if you can find a jacket to cover her back, and then get us the green robes."
- ―Rabé, selecting Padmé Amidala's attire and that of her fellow handmaidens
The lakeside gown was part of Padmé Amidala's extensive wardrobe as Queen and later Senator of the planet Naboo. The backless gown clasped around her neck and had an ombré of yellow, pink, and purple from collar to hem. The gown was occasionally worn with a shawl and would later fall into the possession of Amidala's daughter, Leia Organa, but was lost when it was jettisoned into hyperspace by Agent Terex.
Description[]
The lakeside gown was owned by Padmé Amidala, Queen and later Senator of the planet Naboo, as part of her extensive wardrobe. It was a backless gown that clasped around her neck,[1] with a silver piece, and had an ombré of yellow, pink, and purple from collar to hem. There were also two silver bands that wrapped around Amidala's arms.[2]
History[]
- "Stunning. Just stunning."
"Yes. It belonged to my mother. They all did."
"She had excellent taste."
"It seems so. I only know her from the things she owned, and the stories told to me by people who knew her. These gowns were kept on Naboo for many years after her death, and eventually found their way to me. These matter to me, very much. I like to think of my granddaughter wearing them—if I ever have one. I want them kept safe." - ―Baron Reya and Leia Organa, on the lakeside gown
The lakeside gown, stored by Amidala's daughter, Leia Organa
Amidala wore the gown on visits to Varykino in Naboo's Lake Country. At the end of her second term as queen, she was on retreat at the Varykino Villa with her handmaidens when they received an unexpected visit by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who wished to discuss the outcome of Nute Gunray's third trial for his role in the Trade Federation's blockade and invasion of their homeworld. As they had not anticipated guests, Rabé and the other handmaidens had not packed the Queen's usual formal attire, leaving the lakeside gown as the fanciest one available. Amidala wore it with an ivory shawl to cover her exposed back and a hairstyle that gave the illusion of size, much like a headpiece. Rabé twisted gold and silver ribbons into half a dozen braids and pinned them into six wide loops circling the back of Amidala's head, then added more ribbons so that they cascaded down Amidala's back.[1]
To escape from the bounty hunters attempting to assassinate her, Amidala went into hiding at Varykino with her bodyguard, Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker. She wore the dress with her back uncovered, with several purple headbands with grey beads in her hair, for a conversation on the landing where she told Skywalker about the school retreat she used to take where she and her friends would swim to the island and allow themselves to dry on the sand while they tried to guess the names of the birds singing. On that occasion, she and Skywalker shared their first kiss before Amidala pulled away, claiming she shouldn't have done that, causing Skywalker to apologize to her.[2]
After Amidala's death, the lakeside gown and the rest of her wardrobe were preserved on Naboo. Amidala's wardrobe, including the lakeside gown, eventually came to be owned by Amidala's daughter, Leia Organa. The wardrobe helped Organa learn more about who Amidala had been, as Organa had never known her birth mother, and she liked to think of her hypothetical future granddaughter wearing them.[3] The entire wardrobe was lost when Agent Terex of the First Order Security Bureau jettisoned it into hyperspace, after having taken control of Leia Organa's ship, and correctly guessing that the dresses aboard contained a tracker.[4]
Behind the scenes[]
- "We've seen her 'pretty, informal' dresses in AotC (she actually HAS to wear the Lake Dress at the beginning of the book, because it's the fanciest thing they packed for the trip)."
- ―E. K. Johnston, regarding the lakeside gown's appearance in Queen's Shadow
The lakeside gown was first seen in the 2002 prequel trilogy film, Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones,[2] and was created by costume designer Trisha Biggar.[6] Author E. K. Johnston confirmed via a Tumblr blog post that the lakeside gown worn by Amidala in Queen's Shadow is intended to be the same dress, which she called the "Lake Dress" in the blog post.[5]
Appearances[]
- Queen's Shadow (First identified as lakeside gown)
- Queen's Shadow audiobook
- Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones (First appearance)
- Queen's Hope (Cover only)
- Queen's Hope audiobook (Cover only)
- Darth Vader (2020) 26 (In flashback(s))
- Poe Dameron 21
Sources[]
Star Wars: Force Collection (Card: Padmé Amidala (★★★))
"Padmé Amidala" — Star Wars Encyclopedia- Star Wars: Timelines
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Queen's Shadow
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Poe Dameron 21
- ↑ Poe Dameron 24
- ↑ 5.0 5.1
Words Words Words — The Queen's Shadow Dress Post on Tumblr: "Anyway, I wanted her look on Alderaan to be entirely different. We've seen her 'pretty, informal' dresses in AotC (she actually HAS to wear the Lake Dress at the beginning of the book, because it's the fanciest thing they packed for the trip), and I wanted to give her something that was not work but still…On Display, if that makes sense?" (backup link)
- ↑ Dressing a Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars