William Ware Theiss’s contribution to the Star Trek universe extends far beyond the original series. His visionary designs for the The Next Generation (TNG) uniforms were so impactful that they not only defined the aesthetic for subsequent spin-offs but also remain instantly recognizable decades later. For anyone with even a passing familiarity with science fiction or pop culture, the Tng Uniform is an iconic symbol.
The TNG uniform was not created in a vacuum. It was a deliberate and logical progression from the uniforms Theiss had previously designed for The Original Series (TOS) and the unproduced Phase II series. Theiss’s approach to the TNG uniform can be viewed as a culmination of design concepts he had explored and refined throughout his earlier work on Star Trek. He revisited and expanded upon elements he had initially introduced in TOS, reimagining them for a Star Trek universe set roughly a century after the adventures of Kirk and Spock.
Alt text: A group of Star Trek: The Next Generation main cast members wearing their iconic TNG uniforms in various division colors: gold for command, red for operations, and blue for science.
Even in The Original Series, Theiss had begun to favor the use of knit fabrics for Starfleet uniforms, hinting at a move towards more comfortable and practical designs. Furthermore, the Phase II uniforms suggested a potential shift towards more unisex designs, a concept that would be subtly incorporated into the TNG uniform.
Comparing the works of William Ware Theiss and Robert Fletcher, the costume designer for the Star Trek films of the same era, highlights their dramatically different artistic visions for the future of Starfleet attire. While both were talented designers who left significant marks on Star Trek, their approaches to uniform design were fundamentally incompatible. Theiss’s vision, culminating in the TNG uniform, prioritized a sense of evolutionary design, maintaining a clear visual link to TOS while updating the look for a new era.
For a combination of reasons, including his established history with Star Trek and perhaps a desire to honor the original series, Theiss crafted a TNG uniform paradigm that was both innovative and recognizably connected to his earlier work. This TNG uniform design, while striking and unique in its own right, was undeniably a direct descendant of the TOS uniforms.
Alt text: A side-by-side comparison illustrating the design evolution from The Original Series (TOS) Starfleet uniforms to the TNG uniform, showcasing the stylistic progression and key design element carryovers.
While some of Theiss’s more unconventional ideas, such as the “skants” for men and the initial admiral uniform design in season 1, proved to be short-lived, core aspects of his TNG uniform paradigm endured. Elements like the distinct division colors—gold for command, red for operations, and blue for science—and the placement of rank insignia became standard features, persisting throughout The Next Generation‘s run and even influencing subsequent Star Trek series like Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise.
Although Theiss’s direct involvement with the TNG uniform design was limited to the first season, and the uniforms themselves underwent minor modifications after his departure, the foundational paradigm and overall “look” he established for TNG became deeply ingrained in the franchise’s visual identity. In retrospect, the TNG uniform is arguably as iconic and culturally significant as his groundbreaking designs for The Original Series, solidifying William Ware Theiss’s lasting legacy in the world of costume design and science fiction.
