A British designer who created the original Stormtrooper helmet in a Twickenham workshop is reflecting on five decades of the iconic design.

Andrew Ainsworth, now 78, has spent more than 50 years designing, manufacturing and commercialising products, with his Original Stormtrooper business now operating across more than 40 countries.

The designer, who was born in Preston and studied at Ealing Art School alongside singer Freddie Mercury, created the original Stormtrooper helmets for Star Wars in 1976.

He continues to manufacture Original Stormtrooper helmets in Twickenham using the original 1977 production moulds.

Ainsworth later became involved in a long-running intellectual property dispute with Hollywood giant Lucasfilm after refusing to stop selling the helmets.

The dispute included years of litigation and a $20 million judgment against him in the United States, but Ainsworth ultimately secured the right in the UK to continue manufacturing helmets from the original moulds.

Ainsworth said: "I've always believed that if somebody can imagine a thing, it can usually be made.

"The problem is that most people stop at the imagination stage. I'm interested in the stage afterwards. How do you actually manufacture it? How do you make it affordable? That's where the real challenge begins."

Ainsworth said his decision to continue selling the helmets was about more than money.

"It was never just about money. It was about ownership and truth. This was my creation. These were my hands," he continued.

"I thought surely, if you tell the truth, the truth must prevail.

"But when you go up against a big corporation, you're not just fighting the case. You're fighting their money, their arrogance and their ability to keep the pressure on."

Today, the Original Stormtrooper brand has around 45 licensing partners producing products sold in more than 40 countries.

The range has expanded beyond helmets and collectibles to include homeware, gaming accessories, stationery, fashion and drinks, with products stocked by retailers including M&S, Next, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Argos, Amazon, Menkind and Robert Dyas.

Ainsworth said the business deliberately moved away from working solely within the film industry to focus on creating and manufacturing its own products.

"We deliberately walked away from the film industry because we wanted to create and manufacture our own products, not spend our lives making things for other people's projects," he said.

The designer also believes Britain needs to do more to support people developing new ideas and practical skills.

"Britain used to be a country of making. Now there's always a reason why not, rather than a reason why you can," he added.

"You need vision that you can materialise. You need an atmosphere where people think they can succeed.

"What they didn't teach us at art school was how to protect your originality. In this day and age, you have to protect it from the start."

Ainsworth's comments come as artificial intelligence continues to reshape the creative industries.

He is calling for greater protection for original ideas, more recognition of practical skills and stronger support for British manufacturing and innovation.

The Original Stormtrooper brand continues to manufacture helmets in Twickenham, with Ainsworth saying the products retain a direct connection to the original Star Wars production.

Ainsworth explained: "Today we still make the helmets from the original moulds, in the same way, by the same people.

"People aren't just buying a helmet. They're buying something connected to the original production, still made from the original moulds by the original hands."

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