As a twelve year old Star Wars fan, Lee Ann desperately wanted to make a Darth Vader costume. She scavenged relative's attics and basements for anything she could use. A tuxedo coat turned inside out...an old black felt hat...a car seat belt ....a skirt transformed into a cape by her aunt... over-sized rubber boots .... a chest box with buttons made out of Lego's. With her creative talents, she soon produced the first version of her armour.

Lee Ann is only 5'2" tall, so she has scaled down her scratch-built Vader armour to 75%. The Standard Don Post Studios mask, which is the only piece she hasn’t made herself, works well with her proportions. For the most part, her costume is built from ordinary household items and hardware store finds.

Her armour has been a work in progress since 1978, and it is always undergoing modifications and upgrades.

“I'm literally a 3/4 scale version of my favourite Sith Lord!”