Game of Thrones may have ended, but fans are still learning about everything that went into making the series - including the surprising fact that the Lannisters were originally designed as Samurai warriors. One of the most powerful families in Westeros (if not the most powerful, throughout the series), House Lannister held King’s Landing until almost the very end: first, with Cersei (Lena Headey) as the power behind Robert Baratheon’s (Mark Addy) throne, then through her children. Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) and then Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) ruled themselves, with Tywin (Charles Dance) as a major power before Cersei herself took over.
This noble house is known for their golden hair, and takes the lion as their symbol, as well as the colors of red and gold. Renowned for being fabulously wealthy, the major players in the house also include Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and of course, Jaime (Nikolaj Coster Waldau). Jaime and Tywin are often seen in armor, but theirs appears similar to that of the other houses - albeit a bit fancier. However, the book Game of Thrones: The Costumes reveals that it includes hints of a Samurai influence, and the original designs were very different.
The book, written by Gina McIntyre with costume designer Michele Clapton, was released in November as part of a four-book set by HBO and Insight Editions, and includes details about the costume design and creation for Game of Thrones, and sketches of original concepts created along the way. The book includes two concept designs of Lannister armor and Kingsguard armor that are clearly influenced by traditional Japanese warriors, including distinctive helmet designs. The Lannister armor is in red and gold, while the similar Kingsguard armor is in gold and white.
In the book, it is explained that many of the costume designs take inspiration from traditional clothing around the world, and mentions that although the design changed to make it less distinctive, Japanese elements were still included.
Eagle-eyed fans may notice how the final design includes a chest piece and strips of metal on the arms and faulds (skirt-like pieces over the hips) that are very similar to the concept art, and while the entire suit is not red (as it is in the art) the color is maintained in certain accent pieces. Using the Samurai as inspiration for the Lannisters also works very well - distinctive, high ranking, and focused on loyalty and military excellence.
I wanted to integrate different types of armor from around the world into one cohesive look… I arrived at something that brings together traditional samurai armor with European styles.
However, it has to be said that the final Lannister costumes are definitely preferable to the original designs. While the concept art is incredible, seeing this in the series would have taken away from some of the realism that made this fantasy so incredible - fans loved seeing mythical elements such as dragons set in a world that seemed otherwise historically somewhat accurate. Having Samurai in Westeros (which seems extremely European) would have been jarring. In addition, there would likely have been some backlash over the choice to put a white House in Japanese armor - even in a fantasy world, this simply wouldn’t sit well with many viewers. However, balancing out some global inspiration is a nice touch, and the book is a great way for fans to see more of how Michele Clapton incorporates global influences into many of the costumes of Game of Thrones.
Game of Thrones: The Costumes is available from Insight Editions/HBO, as part of a four-book series.
