Designer in a galaxy far, far away from rivals dies at 86

THE man behind Darth Vader and other Star Wars costumes has died at the age of 86.

Designer John Mollo, who was an integral part of the film franchise’s success, passed away this week.

Mollo, a military historian and writer, was catapulted to fame for his work on the George Lucas franchise. And his iconic designs won him an Academy Award for his work on the 1977 film. In The Making of Star Wars Mollo revealed: “For Darth Vader we put on a black motorcycle suit, a Nazi helmet, a gas mask, and a monk’s cloak we found in the Middle Ages department. “We did very little drawing; it was more of a practical make-do and mend, because there was already an established style. Mollo was reportedly given a tiny budget of just $90,000 to create his costumes. His