THE DESIGNERS
For the first 90 episodes, the costumes on Xena:Warrior Princess were designed by
Ngila Dickson, who also did the
costumes for Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. She left to work on the LORD OF THE RINGS films for which she won an Oscar,
a BAFTA, and a Saturn award.
Ngila Dickson has made one appearance as an actor. It was in the 1981 film STRANGE BEHAVIOR and she was one of
eleven "dancers at party". Among the other dancers at party was the late Peta Rutter.
Dickson was replaced by Jane Holland a native of Wales, UK, for the remainder of Xena. Holland
later was costume designer for LEGEND OF THE SEEKER. Jane Holland designed the last two costumes for Gabrielle
(see chart), and was also responsible for the little blue outfit on ARES HAD A FARM.
Holland has made one appearance as an actor, and that was in the 1992 film RAINBOW WARRIOR. She played a
bartender. Lucy Lawless and Allison Bruce were also in that film.
There were eight major costumes worn by Renée O'Connor as Gabrielle in Xena:Warrior Princess. Below is a
slideshow and table that describe each.
| COSTUME | EPISODE WHERE FIRST WORN | TOP | SKIRT |
OTHER INFO |
| Peasant outfit | Episode 1 - SINS OF THE PAST | light blue shirt, and
sometimes a darker blue jacket | long brown skirt | |
| The abbreviated peasant | Episode 11 - THE BLACK WOLF | blue and brown patterned shirt with exposed midriff |
Short brown skirt. | |
| Even shorter peasant | Episode 9 - DEATH IN CHAINS | blue and brown belly shirt |
A shortened brown skirt | Hair is usually tied back |
| The bilious green sports bra | Episode 25 - ORPHAN OF WAR | A shorter green shirt with exposed midriff and
diamond pattern with criss-cross strings in the front | The skirt is a lighter orange-brown | with a belt |
| Bare shoulders | Episode 49 - THE DIRTY HALF DOZEN | Her shirt now has a leaf pattern and the shoulders are bare. |
Skirt is shorter but same colour |
|
| The sari | Episode 82 - DEVI | yellow long-sleeved belly shirt |
red and yellow | With red wrist bands. The outfit is sometimes
worn with sandals and a yellow scarf. |
| Leather | Episode 92 - CHAKRAM | threaded brown leather bra with beads hanging from
the bottom and threee straps across the back. | Skirt is orange with a brown belt. | Leather upper
arm bands, silver wrist guards and a white bead necklace. Outfit is destroyed by zombies in THE HAUNTING OF
AMPHIPOLIS. |
| Velvet | Episode 115 - HEART OF DARKNESS | short woven red velvet top |
Red velvet skirt | black and silver belt and wrist
guards with similar band on her upper right arm. Worn with a pearl necklace. |