Today’s review features the Princess Leia leather cuff bracelet by Legendary Costume Works. I came across this bracelet while browsing the dealer hall at Star Wars Celebration Orlando – and instantly needed it! I always love to see fashion accessories inspired by Princess Leia – this bracelet is a wonderful example of thoughtful costume inspired design.
Hand crafted from 4/5 oz supple white leather our Princess cuff has the striking silver design of a familiar space princess’s belt. The design is laser-etched deeply into the surface of the leather and then carefully hand painted.
The cuff is available in three sizes, and is priced at US$20.00 each – Legendary Costume Works can ship internationally, which is great!
- Princess Leia leather cuff bracelet – US$20.00 each – sizes S to L (direct)
- Princess Leia leather cuff bracelet – US$20.00 each – sizes S to L (Etsy)
The Princess Leia leather cuff bracelet is made from white leather, with etched and painted surface details. The design is inspired by the belt Princess Leia wears with her classic white dress in A New Hope, with five silver-tone metal plate details. The bracelet closes with two silver-tone metal snap domes, allowing for a small range of size adjustment.
The design includes five ‘belt plate’ shapes – four are squarish octagonal plates, while the fifth is the central pointed pentagon plate. The center of each plate has a small circle, to reference the silver-tone domes used on the original costume belt.
The belt is the only part of Leia’s costume that can easily be stylised, as her dress is just plain white – it is a shame that so many companies just avoid including Princess Leia inspired designs in their fashion/accessory ranges, because her classic look doesn’t have as easily recognised components. To me, Leia’s belt is as iconic as the red-on-blue stripes of Han Solo’s pants.
The cuff style bracelet is made from a sturdy white leather, with raw cut edges and a natural leather back (not coated/lined). The band widens to form a point in the center, just like the original costume belt shape – this point sits just over the back of my hand when worn, which is a really neat look.
The plate details are very crisp and clean – the black outlines are recessed, having been laser etched into the leather. This ensures the design is straight and even, and helps the silver painted areas to really stand out against the white leather.
The back of the bracelet is printed with the text ‘Forever Royalty 2016 /100 LCW’. This notes the design name of ‘Forever Royalty’, the edition size of 100, and the logo of the manufacturer, Legendary Costume Works (LCW). This bracelet is hand numbered ’69’ out of 100.
The text ‘Forever Royalty’ is such a touching tribute. Carrie Fisher will always been remembered as a Princess to Star Wars fans, and the inscription means I always think of Carrie when wearing this bracelet. She passed away at the end of 2016 – including the year in the text is especially emotional.
The bracelet is adjustable, with two size settings. The bracelet does up with silver-tone metal stud snaps – one silver ‘top’ half at one end, and two ‘bottom’ halves at the other end. The snaps are securely set through the leather, and fasten together well. The ends of the leather band are gently curved, which looks nicer than a blunt straight edge.
The Princess Leia ‘white dress’ costume that is displayed in official Star Wars costume exhibitions is thought by some to be a mix of components from A New Hope and/or The Empire Strikes Back. The belt Leia wears in A New Hope has visible top stitching, whereas the belt used for the costume display appears to be made from leather with no top-stitching (some costumers believe the belt is from ESB).
In any case, the use of the leather belt in costume exhibitions has meant that this version is more widely known and replicated for costumes. I absolutely love the idea of taking that leather belt and translating it to a bracelet – leather works really well for bracelets, and even the metal snaps reference the original design.
The bracelet is available in three sizes – my bracelet is a size ‘medium’. It measures approximately 22.7cm long (end to end of leather band), approximately 4.1cm wide at the central point, while the rest of the band measures approximately 3.1cm wide. The leather itself is approximately 2 to 2.5mm thick. The internal circumference measurements for the three sizes are given in the Etsy listing description –
- Small – 5 1/2″ to 6 1/4″
- Medium – 6 3/4″ to 7 1/2″
- Large – 8 1/4″ to 9″
This is such a wonderful Princess Leia themed design – referencing her costume in a clever way that fans will instantly recognise, but isn’t too boldly Star Wars branded. I am always on the look-out for more Princess Leia themed items to add to my wardrobe – this unique bracelet is a stylish way of adding a Princess Leia touch to an outfit, and a wonderful tribute to our favourite Princess.
Disclaimer: this item was supplied by Legendary Costume Works for review purposes. The Kessel Runway stands by the position that this, and all of our reviews, are an honest analysis and opinion regardless of whether the merchandise was purchased or supplied by a manufacturer/retailer.
