Shawna Trpcic, costume designer for ‘Mandalorian,’ ‘Ahsoka’ dead at 56

LOS ANGELES — Shawna Trpcic, a three-time Emmy Award-nominated costume designer who worked on “The Mandalorian,” “Ahsoka” and “The Book of Boba Fett,” died Wednesday, She was 56.

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Trpcic died suddenly in Palm Desert, California, her daughter, Sarah, told The Hollywood Reporter. No cause of death was given.

Trpcic’s representative, Tim Kressman, said in a statement that the designer was a “creative force.”

“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,” Kressman said. “She was a beloved member of the ‘Star Wars’/Lucasfilm family as well as the community of costume designers and the Costume Designers Guild.”

Trpcic was born Oct. 18, 1966, in Artesia, California, a suburb of Los Angeles, Variety reported. She had more than 47 television and film credits for her work as a designer, but she initially wanted to be a truck driver when she was in high school, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

An art teacher encouraged her to become an artist, and she attended Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles.

She debuted as a costume designer on the 1990 film “Mom” and later worked on the films “What Lies Beneath” and “Red Shoes Diaries,” Variety reported.

According to Deadline, Trpcic once described costume design as “creating fine art for the body because you’re creating this dimensional character, and I was hooked immediately.”

A hardcore “Star Wars” fan, Trpcic joined the franchise during Season 2 of “The Mandalorian,” Variety reported. She later worked on “The Book of Boba Fett” and most recently “Ahsoka.”

“Mandalorian” executive producer Jon Favreau and Ahsoka’s Dave Filoni paid tribute to Trpcic in a post on StarWars.com.

“Shawna had a deep love and appreciation for Star Wars. You can see that in every piece of work she did with us,” Filoni wrote. “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.”

“Her creativity brought this world to life,” Favreau wrote. “She will be deeply missed both as a friend and as a colleague.”

Trpcic received three Emmy Award nominations -- two for “The Mandalorian” and one for “The Book of Boba Fett.” She won two Costume Designer Guild awards in Excellence in Sci-Fi/Fantasy Television, according to Variety.

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