Welcome! As part of its ongoing mission to document the Art and Production History of Star Trek, this site will present technical articles on Star Trek prop and costume authentication - focusing on The Original Series - with detailed photos and episode screenshots to complement the information presented; as well as feature pictorials to showcase Star Trek memorabilia in private & public collections, present rare Behind The Scenes TOS imagery & discuss other topics.
Gerald Gurian is a 40+ year collector of screen used Star Trek memorabilia and a passionate fan of TOS
     
- Star Trek TOS At Auction Part I - Gurian Collection Highlights - Greg Jein TOS Hero Type II Phaser
-Authenticating a TOS Communicator -6 Myths About Star Trek Prop Design -Star Trek 3rd Season Command Tunic
- Design Features of TOS Tricorders -Star Trek Props At National Air & Space - TOS Leatherette Tricorder
- TOS Federation Sciences Dress -Desilu Studio TOS Prop Fabrication - Unreleased Allen/Gurian Prop Photos
- The Beautiful Women of TOS Part I -TOS U.S.S. Enterprise 11' Filming Model - Captain Kirk's Chair from TOS
- Spock Ears -TOS Control Panels & Displays - Mr. Spock's Science Station
- TOS Soundstage at Desilu -TOS Shatner Romulan Pants - The Beautiful Women of TOS Pt. II
- TOS Galileo Shuttlecraft -Greg Jein TOS Cage Laser Pistol - TOS 3rd Season Midgrade Type II Phaser
- Dr. McCoy's Sickbay on TOS -TOS Balok Puppet Head - Captain Kirk "Mirror, Mirror" Tunic
- Greg Jein TOS Hero Tricorder -1992 Smithsonian TOS Cast Video - TOS 1st Season Command Tunic
- TOS "Where No Man" Silver Contact Lenses -TOS Special Effects: The Transporter - The Art of Matt Jefferies
- TOS "Space Seed" Gold Mesh Jumpsuit -Gorn Costume from "Arena" - Rare TOS Behind-the-Scenes Videos
- TOS Stunt Type II Phaser -1993 Bill Theiss Estate Auction - TOS Shatner Command Dress Tunic
- TOS Elasian Royal Guard Tunic -TOS Finnegan Silver "Shore Leave" Tunic - TOS Science Officer Tunic "The Cage"
- TOS Shatner Early 1st Season Command Tunic -William Shatner TOS Tunics At Auction - TOS Shatner Late 1st Season Command Tunic

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Behind The Scenes in the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Costume Department

 

This post displays some of the projected overhead imagery that was shown to a live audience in a Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Costume Department panel held by SNW Costume Designer Bernadette Cross at the recently concluded Star Trek: Mission Chicago, a ViacomCBS sponsored fan convention that took place from April 8 - 10, 2022 at the massive McCormick Place center in Chicago, Illinois.   What follows is an exciting collection of imagery that includes some costume design artwork, costume test shots, fabric selection details and some alternative design concepts that were considered as well as a peek at the fabrication team at work crafting some apparel for the show - which is set to premiere on Thursday, May 5, 2022 on Paramount+ as the 8th live action adventure series in the history of the franchise.

Very special thanks to my friend and fellow Star Trek fan Andy Holt, who attended the Star Trek: Mission Chicago convention, for his very gracious permission to display his exciting photography from the behind the scenes presentation in this article.    Just click on any of the images below to view an enlarged version ...

The very first image, seen above, features sketches of 6 alternate Starfleet uniform concepts that were considered for the series.   Design 6 was the one ultimately chosen.  Below, some comparison shots of the TOS-era Captain's uniform appearance from the first pilot in 1964 through Strange New Worlds ...


A concept sketch of Celia Rose Gooding's regulation duty uniform along with a costume test shot of the actress wearing the finished design ...

A concept sketch of Christina Chong in costume as La'an Noonien-Singh seen alongside a costume test shot of the actress ...

An interesting view of the landing party costumes seen in the 1st TOS pilot episode "The Cage" which featured a unique jacket design that was worn over the Starfleet uniform tunics, and a costume test of Bruce Horak as the Andorian crewmember Hemmer wearing a uniform complete with jacket that draws inspiration from the original TOS design ...

and a closeup view of the U.S.S. Enterprise UFP crest seen on the shoulder of the jacket ...

Similarly, another TOS costume design - in particular John Winston as Transporter Chief Kyle dressed in red technician's overalls - and a related creation for Strange New Worlds ...

A closeup look at the artistic fabric embedded with the famous TOS Starfleet division symbols throughout, and how they were implemented in the arm and shoulder areas of the new Starfleet uniforms ...


The alternate rank braid concepts that were considered for the series, with the left image representing the final design choice ...

What appears to be some fabric color alternatives for the main Starfleet duty tunic bodies ...

and the final selections of the Costume Department along with detailed Pantone Color System information. For the record, the Command color is identified as Pantone # 17-0949 TCX Chai Tea; the Engineering color is identified as Pantone # 19-1930 TCX Pomegranate; the Sciences color is identified as Pantone # 19-4118 TCX Dark Denim; and the Surgical Tunic color is identified as Pantone # 17-4023 TCX Blue Heaven  ...

Some behind the scenes shots of costume fabrication in progress ...


A look at what appears to be a special costume accessory from sketch to finished design to usage in what appears to be a planet Vulcan scene featuring Spock and T'Pring ...

Finally, very exciting proof that if you happen to be in the right place at the right time, then your wildest dreams of actually being cast for a cameo role in a Star Trek episode can be gloriously realized.  Take for example, this adorable dog, who was apparently on the set as an emotional support animal for a member of the production crew or one of the actors, who somehow convinced the powers-that-be that his/her true place should be on-screen! ...


Given that a dog guest starred on The Original Series in the memorable 1st season episode "The Enemy Within", it is only fitting that another one appear on Strange New Worlds ...