Shawna Trpcic, an Emmy-nominated costume designer best known for her work on several Star Wars series on Disney+ and her collaborations with Joss Whedon has died, Lucasfilm announced Friday. She was 56. A cause of death was not provided but Trpcic’s passing appears sudden; as recently as three days ago she was chronicling a desert trip on Instagram.
Born in Artesia, California, Trpcic has build an impressive body of work as a costume designer since her first credit in 1990. She worked on such Joss Whedon series as Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.
Trpcic set up shop at Lucasfilm in 2019, joining the second season of The Mandalorian. She has since continued her work on that series and also served as costume designer of The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka. Trpcic was nominated for an Emmy for her work on The Mandalorian Season 2 and The Book of Boba Fett, and won a Costume Designer’s Guild Award for her work on the latter. She is currently nominated for an Emmy for her work on The Mandalorian Season 3.
“[Trpcic] was considered something of a Star Wars historian by her peers, reading every making-of book she could find to better understand the techniques used in the films during various eras,” the obituary on StarWars.com reads.
On the Star Wars shows, Trpcic worked closely with showrunners/producers Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau who both remembered her Friday.
“Shawna had a deep love and appreciation for Star Wars,” Filoni said. “You can see that in every piece of work she did with us. She loved everything about being a part of these stories, including connecting with fans and being a part of that community. I feel like she has always been a part of Star Wars. Her costumes tell a story, providing the suggestion of a life experience that happened before the cameras rolled. I loved collaborating with Shawna, and I will miss her presence.”
Added Favreau, “Her creativity brought this world to life. She will be deeply missed both as a friend and as a colleague.”
Trpcic’s film and TV credits include The Cabin in the Woods, The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run, K-Ville, Torchwood, Another Period, Second Chance and Swedish Ducks.