NEKKYO USAGI

Robert Fletcher is particularly fond of one item of wardrobe that he created for The Motion Picture: Spock’s black velvet meditation robe [top left]. “It’s Vulcan civilian attire,” the designer explains. “In my concept, Spock arrives on the Enterprise [looking] rather like Hamlet–dark and tragic.

“…People always ask me what the writings on the front of Spock’s black velvet at-home costume symbolize,” Fletcher says of the decorative lettering he invented–just as he invented the “personal symbols” worn on the costumes of several other Vulcans in the first movie. In fact, he never attached meaning to the shapes.  “All I can say is that it’s very much akin to Chinese. It’s non-syllabic, and the various shapes contain an entire thought; you don’t use [the symbols] to make words.”

…”I tried to invent a design system for each one of the alien cultures,” [Robert] Fletcher explains. “I tried to make the Vulcans as far from Klingons as I could in the choice of fabrics and silhouette. They are very non-militaristic and have clothing closer to priestly robes.

“…One of the worst things about hiring two hundred movie extras is their hair. Trying to make them look unearthly, you must cover their heads. If you just wrap a cloth around them, they’re going to look [Middle Eastern]. If you go into very elaborate hats that have trim and a lot of doodads on them, you go into vast expense.” Fletcher compromised, using simple headpieces, a lot of monk-type hoods, and some long straight wigs that conveniently covered ears.