What happens when Greek mythology meets modern pop culture feminism, with a bit of Kiwi battler thrown in?
She's a character who hints at being from the Pantheon of ancient Greek mythology, but was in fact born entirely from modern imagination and brought to life not in the temples of the gods, but in west Auckland.
Xena, the 'warrior princess', continues to inspire a cult following of ‘Xenites’ to this very day. Everyone needs a hero, or heroine, and this feminist icon, played by Kiwi actress Lucy Lawless, certainly fits the bill.
So, in this week's episode we turn our attention to something a bit different – Xena’s costume, including her fabulous boots.
Watch a video from the episode here
According to the show, Xena was a "mighty princess forged in the heat of battle”. After making friends with Hercules, Xena sought redemption from her dark and violent past and began fighting warlords and gods for the greater good.
Xena's character was the full package – a strong and powerful woman, exceptional in combat, and with a signature battle cry that no doubt instilled fear in her enemies.
Her partnership with sidekick and best friend Gabrielle also drew fans. Indeed, some have suggested the duo were more than just good friends.
Xena’s character first appeared in an episode of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, but she went on to star in her own spinoff series.
One of the creators of Xena’s costume, Ngila Dickson, says Xena’s character underwent a makeover after getting her own show.
“There already was an established costume for Xena. In that time she was quite light, blonde and we were wanting to go for this darker, tougher, stronger image.”
The show, which was filmed in New Zealand, ran from 1995 to 2001. When it ended, producers Pacific Renaissance Pictures gifted Xena’s costume to Te Papa.
Xena’s outfit includes a brown leather dress, armour, a breast plate, gauntlets, arm bands and boots. It was initially designed by Barbara Darragh, then reworked by Dickson.
The costume would not be complete of course without her weapons -including her whip, chakram and trusty sword. Robert Gillies designed the weapons and other props.
Te Papa’s Senior Curator New Zealand History and Culture, Claire Regnault, says the outfit is still very popular with visitors.
“We’ve had designers from all over the world come and see it, wanting to see it up close in person to study it. It’s one of those objects when you say to people ‘We’ve got Xena’s outfit’, you immediately get a reaction.”…
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