When 1977 audiences got their first look at Darth Vader's menacing costume in A New Hope, they could pretty much gather from the 155 seconds of footage preceding him that Star Wars was going to be big on spectacle, rich in texture, vast in scope, and full of surprises.

Those same attributes can now be found in the epic Dressing a Galaxy: The Costumes of Star Wars, written by prequel Costume Designer Trisha Biggar (see this previous story here). The massive tome, which features scores of extras in a limited-to-2,500 deluxe edition, represents one of the most ambitious Star Wars publications to date, and will become the crown jewel in any fan's library.

The luxurious clamshell case which houses the book actually reinforces the gem-like feel of its presentation, and includes an obi wrap inspired by costume fabric worn by Queen Amidala in Episode I (a costume showcased on Dressing a Galaxy's cover).

Once opened, the clamshell reveals the book encased within, alongside four items attached to the inside of the lid. These include a reproduction Wookiee costume buckle, a DVD, a swatch of Darth Vader cape material, and a certificate of authenticity.

The Wookiee buckle, designed by Costume Prop Supervisor Ivo Coveney, is a direct cast off the original, which appears on page 81.

The DVD includes costume-relevant footage culled from the prequel webdocs, electronic presskits, and DVD documentaries, up to and including the Revenge of the Sith DVD release.

The Darth Vader cape material is actually a sample cut from the same rolls used to create the Dark Lord's Episode III cape.

The certificate of authenticity is signed by Lucas Licensing President Howard Roffman and Insight Editions Publisher Raoul Goff (Trisha Biggar's signature will appear separately on 1,000 of the 2,500 deluxe editions, not on the COA, as previously reported).

The sizable book itself is extracted from the case with the pull of a red ribbon, which exposes two more bonus items beneath.

First, a facsimile JAK Productions folder holds a number of different fabric samples cut from the same bolts used to create many of the prequel costumes. Because the amount of original fabric was limited, each folder will contain a different assortment of fabrics, making each one unique.

Next, a slick little publication called "Cut from a Different Cloth" depicts a number of computer-generated costumes designed for the Star Wars prequels by ILM. These are printed on a unique foil-like stock, subtly suggesting the technology-based applications that brought the costumes to life.