Costume Design Archive: Star Trek: Voyager

Costume Design by:

- Robert Blackman ( notable efforts: The Running Man (1987), Star Trek: The Next Generation (Seasons 3 to 7), Deep Space Nine (1993 - 1999), Enterprise (2001 - 2005), Pushing Daisies (2007 - 2009), Mockingbird Lane (2012) )

Kes would be written out of the show in the fourth series, to be replaced by the former Borg drone Seven of Nine (Jerri Ryan), who is partly infamous for being a very blatant attempt to rise the sex appeal of the series! Seven of Nine's costume appears to be a rather simple silver catsuit, with ridged lining around the torso, fitted with high heels, but this was actually a much more complex costume than it seems to be at a glance. The costume, constructed out of a material that Bob Blackmn nicknmed 'shrink wrap' (a mix of nylon and lycra), ctully had fake breasts fitted into it, as the material was of the sort that would press on the body, rather than give an exagerrated figure. Of course, this outfit was murder for Jerri Ryan to put on - it would take her 35 minutes to get it on or off between takes, and was murder to wear when shooting. Also, whilst Seven of Nine would get catsuits of different colours in later seasons, I feel only the silver one is truly worth noting.

'Day of Honor'

In this episode, the Voyager crew encounter the Caatati, who wear rather asymmetrical coats and trousers made up of sloping blocks of fabric, even around the trousers. The Caataati ambassador on the viewscren has an outfit of more complex patterns compared to the one sportd by Lumas (Alan Altshud) whose outfit is in shades of beige.

'Nemesis'

This episode involved Chakotay being kidnapped by the denizens of an alien planet in order to bolster their ranks for their war, and as such is made to wear their uniform which consists of a jumpsuit made of a slightly metallic greenish material - it's mostly for the pattern that I'm including these, honestly.

'The Raven'

In this episode, the Voyager crew are trying to negotiate with the Bo-Mar, whose two officials are clad in some very unusual outfits indeed - like most of Blackman's costume designs, this is his penchant for asymmetrical design at play. The Bo'Mar uniforms are jumpsuits with a banded belt around the middle, but what is especially notable is the top half which is coated in angular greyish blocks with silver lining, with the only colour being either red or yellow. This is also worn with a skullcap with a metallic faceguard with coloured translucent material fixed to the sides, which make me think of traffic lights somehow.

'Scientific Method'

In this episode, a group of aliens perform experiments on the crew without their knowledge, the alien scientists being dressed in brown jumpsuits with rounded collars, worn with brown coats as well.

'Year of Hell'

In this two-parter episode, the Voyager's crew end up getting involved in the machinations of the militaristic Krenim Imperium, whose officials are all wearing asymmetrical reddish-brown uniforms with ridged panelling on their right shoulder and sleeves, as well as one side of the jacket being longer than the other - makes it slightly more interesting than the usual futuristic uniform so present in these sort of shows.

There seems to be another version of the Krenim uniform (only seen on one official on a screen) of a more simple design consisting of a brown jacket held together with a chain, and worn over a dark-coloured shirt.

There is also the unlucky Zahl ambassador, wearing a gown and vest of a pinstriped pattern - apparently this was originally intended to be worn by the Federation president seen in the Deep Space Nine episode 'Homefromt', but I don't remember this being used at all in that episode.

'Random Thoughts'

In this episode the Voyager comes across the Mari, a species of telepaths who all sport unitards and vests in a variety of colourful, bold patterns, some with panelling over the chest as well. These costumes were then reused in the Enterprise episode 'Oasis' a few years later.

'Concerning Flight'

In this episode, Voyager comes across the intergalactic arms dealer Tau (John Vargas), who sports a curious jumpsuit made of a pinstriped material, a wraparound motif on the chest and with leather belts worn over it.

Tau's guards wear jumpsuits made of a similarly striped material (and with a belt over the middle as well), presumably keeping up with the 'gangster' motif of the character.

In this episode Tuvok also briefly goes in disguise, wearing a wraparound tunic with shoulder panelling of an earth-tone coloured material.

'Retrospect'

In this episode, Voyager ends up getting involved with the suspected Entharan arms dealer Kovin (Michael Horton), who sports this futuristic suit with large collars that also are straps fixed to the front and back of the suit, with brown patches on the collars and cuffs.

The unnamed Entharan magistrate that suspects Kovin is guilty wears a similar suit, this one being of a wraparound design and pinstriped material, with blue patches on the collar instead.

It seems the Entharans dress sense leans to this in general, as several guards and assistants are briefly seen wearing similarly designed suits, with different colours on the collars as well.

'Unforgettable'

In this episode Chakotay falls in love with the alien woman Kellin (Virginian Madsen), who for most of the episode sports this plum top with slightly iridescent looking fabric lining the collar, cuffs and ends of the top, which itself is worn with black tights.

When leaving Voyager, Kellin then sports this pink patterned dress, that itself is worn with pink stockings as well.

The male members of Kellin's species wear tops similar in design to hers, and were apparently meant to wear tunics with blocks of patterned material of a similar design to her farewell dress, but these were not finished in time for the episode.

'Living Witness'

This episode involved the Doctor being reawakened centuries later by the Kyrians, an alien culture who blame the arrival of Voyager on their nations decline into civil war. The Kyrians all wear tunics and dresses made up of blocks of grey colour (a lot of them reused from the earlier episode 'Unity') with stiff white collared shirts underneath.

The Kyrians have a museum that presents a version of history showing their enemies, the Vaskans, as villains, with a Vaskan ambassador wearing a drab coat and wraparound shirt, the coat having lining on the shoulders.

Also present in this simulation are Kyrian leaders wearing unitards with asymmetrical blocks of patterned fabric over them - these designs are a tad similar to the outfits worn by the denizens of Ventax II in The Next Generation episode 'Devil's Due'.

When the society is reformed, the Vaskans and Kyrians have made peace, which is symbolized by them all wearing more colourful tunics, with similar cuts to the Kyrians original (reused) ones but with different undershirts with stiff collars, and blocks of patterned fabric over the front.

'Mortal Coil'

In this episode, Neelix undergoes a self-crisis after having a near-death, and during said crisis undergoes strange visions where he meets his dead sister Alixia (Robin Stapler) - although not seen fully in the episode itself thanks to the tinting and close-up shots, Alixia's outfit is just as garish as any of Neelix's, being a technicolour padded tunic and skirt of gold, purple and green lines.

'Waking Moments'

In this episode the Voyager crew end up hostage by a group of mysterious aliens who use their own dreams against them - the aliens are clad in a variety of coloured tunics made up of fabrics cut in an asymmetrical fashion, as per a lot of the aliens in this series.

'One'

In this episode, Seven of Nine is left alone and endures hallucinations, one of the figures in them being the alien freighter captain Trajis (Wade Williams) who wears a leathery jumpsuit with spotty furred sleeves, with a belt over the chest.

'Hope and Fear'

In this episode Voyager gets an offer of help from the alien Arturis (Ray Wise), who wears a rather 'organic' looking vest of a mottled green material, with curved orange lining around the chest and sleeves.