The jubilation dress served as a ceremonial garment, typically donned by queens and other high-ranking female officials of the Naboo during celebratory occasions or when extending a first welcome to a visiting dignitary. Its design incorporated a white dress adorned with the Symbol of the Royal House of Naboo, a cape featuring multiple layers of delicate veils, and an organza net, embellished with stitched flowers, that gracefully extended from behind the wearer's head.
Notably, Queen Padmé Amidala of Naboo famously chose to wear the jubilation dress during the parade that commemorated the Battle of Naboo, a victory that marked the end of the Trade Federation's invasion of the planet. This event subsequently inspired artistic representations of her in the iconic attire. Years later, Dalné, another queen, graciously lent the dress to Amidala's biological daughter, Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, for her meeting with Imperial Moff Quarsh Panaka.
The jubilation dress was predominantly white and featured a prominent front panel showcasing the Symbol of the Royal House of Naboo. This sleeveless dress was paired with elegant white opera sleeves, along with a cape layered with pale pink and yellow veils. Completing the ensemble was an ivory organza net, adorned with a meticulously hand-stitched floral pattern, that extended behind the head, resembling a ruff.
This traditional attire was commonly worn by female high-ranking Naboo officials, including queens, during moments of celebration or when formally greeting a dignitary for the first time. When worn during diplomatic negotiations, it conveyed an expectation of a favorable outcome. Symbolically, the outfit represented Naboo's emergence from a period of hardship. The veils on the cape were reminiscent of the petals of specific flowers indigenous to the planet of Naboo, particularly those found in the hometown of Queen Padmé Amidala. These flowers symbolized joy and blossomed only once every eighty-eight years. The net, framing the wearer's face like a halo, represented the enduring continuity of Naboo's society.
Back in 32 BBY, Queen Amidala chose to wear the jubilation dress, complemented by a silver tiara, at the parade held to celebrate Naboo's liberation from the occupation by the Trade Federation. Her handmaidens wore layered outfits that harmonized with the jubilation dress without overshadowing it. By the time of the Clone Wars, a painting depicting Amidala in the jubilation dress, holding a peko-peko, graced a wall within the Theed Royal Palace.
In 3 BBY, the jubilation dress had become a part of the royal wardrobe of Queen Dalné of Naboo, housed in the secondary royal palace located on Onoam, one of Naboo's moons. Following a mine inspection on Onoam by Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan and Dalné, Organa expressed her desire to meet with Imperial Moff Quarsh Panaka to discuss the working conditions of the miners. As Organa's only available outfit was soiled, Dalné generously offered the jubilation dress to the princess, though Organa declined the accompanying headdress. Organa considered it too extravagant, but Dalné insisted it was suitable and, in fact, the simplest dress she possessed.
Unbeknownst to Organa, she was, in reality, the biological daughter of the long-dead Amidala. The borrowed dress amplified her resemblance to her mother to such an extent that Panaka, who had served as Amidala's Chief of Security during her reign as queen, immediately recognized it. Her responses to inquiries about her past further solidified his suspicion that she was indeed Amidala's daughter. Panaka intended to inform Emperor Palpatine of his discovery, but he was assassinated by the Partisans in an explosion shortly after his meeting with Organa. Organa sustained injuries, and the jubilation dress was soiled when the blast propelled her.
Organa returned home still adorned in the dress, where her attendant droid WA-2V was captivated by its beauty. The princess, however, was annoyed, while the droid declared that the jubilation dress was the most exquisite garment Organa had ever worn. WA-2V expressed disappointment that the dress had to be returned to Dalné, but found solace in the fact that they at least had "a wonderful example to draw from" for the princess' future wardrobe. Leia, however, displayed little interest in the dress and simply inquired about the whereabouts of her parents.
Eventually, a mural depicting Amidala wearing the dress during the parade commemorating Naboo's liberation was created as a tribute to the alliance Amidala had forged in the aftermath of the Trade Federation's invasion. Around 3 ABY, Darth Vader, formerly known as Anakin Skywalker and Amidala's husband, discovered the mural and, in a fit of rage triggered by Amidala's former handmaiden Sabé, destroyed it using his lightsaber.
The jubilation dress was originally designed for the 1999 prequel trilogy film, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. Costume designer Trisha Biggar and her team were responsible for creating the finished costume. The dress's official name was first established in the 2017 young-adult novel Leia, Princess of Alderaan, penned by Claudia Gray as part of the Journey to Star Wars: The Last Jedi series. Within the Star Wars Legends continuity, the outfit was referred to as the parade gown in Star Wars: Episode I The Visual Dictionary, authored by David West Reynolds.