Vintage Star Wars Costumes Decorate ILM Headquarters
The Presidio-based effects studio is showcasing plastic Ben Cooper costumes from the 1970s and 80s in its lobby.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Science Fiction
Fans of local visual effects history can now view a collection of classic Star Wars costumes in the Presidio. Industrial Light and Magic has transformed its headquarters lobby with a display of vintage Ben Cooper masks and plastic outfits.
Why it matters
The exhibit highlights a bygone era of Halloween tradition, showcasing the mass-produced plastic costumes that defined holiday dress-up for decades. It offers a nostalgic look at the intersection of pop culture manufacturing and cinematic history.
The display features plastic costumes manufactured from the 1950s through the 1990s. While these items represent a specific era of mass-market toy production, the total number of individual pieces currently on public view remains uncatalogued.
The players
Industrial Light and Magic
The special effects department of Lucasfilm responsible for the visual effects in many major motion pictures.
The details
Staff at Industrial Light and Magic have outfitted the corporate lobby with vintage Ben Cooper brand Star Wars costumes, including characters like Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Darth Vader. The display features the iconic plastic designs and torso-printed logos typical of the 1970s and 1980s. Alongside the outfits, the company has included vintage newspaper clippings that document the historical retail sales of these costumes.
Timeline
October 2026: ILM lobby display is installed.
1950s-1990s: Era of Ben Cooper plastic costume production.
1970s-1980s: Primary period for the displayed classic Star Wars designs.
Across the Bay
This exhibit follows a pattern set by the 1977 Star Wars original release, which sparked the multi-decade commercialization of film-related merchandise. It marks a return to these foundational commercial roots by highlighting the mass-market plastic costumes that once defined childhood Halloweens.
Visitors to the Presidio can view the collection in the Industrial Light and Magic headquarters lobby throughout October. The display provides a rare chance to see these vintage items in person as part of the company's seasonal decor.
The takeaway
The display serves as a reminder of how quickly pop culture artifacts shift from store shelves to gallery displays. Fans interested in toy history should observe how the material quality of these plastic costumes reflects the low-cost manufacturing standards of the late 20th century.
Further reading
For more on local contributions to genre cinema, visit the Science Fiction section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Nerdist.
