I just came across Columbia’s new Star Wars-inspired jacket, and it’s incredible! The design clearly draws inspiration from Luke Skywalker’s iconic flight suit, but what really caught my eye is a tiny detail on the left side of the jacket.
It reminded me of something I recently read in a Star Wars book, which explains the story behind this particular feature—and I can’t wait to share it with you.
Leia Hoth Communication Badge
Looking closely at the Columbia ski jacket, I noticed a familiar detail—it’s Leia’s Hoth communication badge from The Empire Strikes Back. This badge is seen on Echo Base and worn by Leia and our other lead characters during the iconic Hoth scenes.
Interestingly, this badge isn’t just a stylish addition—it’s actually a specialized model of comlink known as a badge-comm.
In Star Wars lore, badge-comms were used by Protectors in Corestrike on the planet Chrona. These devices served a dual purpose: as a communicator and as a badge of office, symbolizing authority and connection within their ranks.
The badge-comm’s functionality included the ability to communicate securely, using shifting frequencies that made it challenging to monitor or jam.
Through further research, I discovered that during the filming of The Empire Strikes Back, the design team added communication badges to the costumes of the three main leaders—Luke, Han, and Leia—along with a few Rebel commandos stationed at Echo Base during the Battle of Hoth. These badges were designed to serve a dual purpose, functioning as both communication devices and rank insignias for the key leaders and personnel in the Rebel Alliance.
According to the book Star Wars Costumes: The Original Trilogy (2014), “New rank badge greeblies were constructed for rebel costumes in The Empire Strikes Back,” highlighting the attention to detail in the costume design.
Below are images of the costumes worn by the three leaders and Rebel commandos, featuring the newly added badge. Additionally, you might notice that the new Columbia jacket closely resembles or was possibly inspired by Luke Skywalker’s pilot costume.
