(left: Princess Olga Orlova photographed for the ball of 1903, right: Padmé)
(left: prima ballerina Anna Pavlova in traditional kokoshnik for a photo shoot, right: the kokoshnik-inspired headpiece for Padmé’s refugee disguise)
(left: Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna in traditional dress of nobility, right: concept art for Padmé’s refugee disguise)
So, the more I think about the kokoshnik they used for Padmé’s costume, the more I think about the symbolism and I actually really dig it?
The кокошник (kokoshnik), is a traditional Russian headdress that many of us may already be familiar with - but what I find interesting is the reason why it was traditionally worn by women, and how that ties into a representation of Padmé’s past, while also foreshadowing her future.
These headdresses were worn for a variety of reasons (festivals, status, holidays, etc), by many different women, and at many different time periods throughout history. Most notably, it was often worn by newly married women, who were sometimes expected to wear it from the time of their marriage to the birth of their first child (though traditions and styles varied by region and time period).
As Anakin and Padmé set off on their journey, ultimately to fall in love and secretly marry, I wonder if perhaps the headdress represents their coming marriage as well as a hint towards the birth of Luke and Leia?
The gown is also interesting because it isn’t just Russian traditional clothing, but the clothing of nobility and court, specifically - possibly a nod to Padmé’s past as queen of Naboo and her status at the time of their first meeting.
Maybe I’m reading too much into it, who knows, but it’s interesting to think about!
