Apple design chief Jony Ive has been promoting a charity auction featuring special items he customized in collaboration with industrial designer Marc Newson. But one item in the auction — a Star Wars Stormtrooper helmet signed by director George Lucas — was neither designed nor modified by Ive or Newson.

In an interview on Charlie Rose, Ive revealed why he chose to include the random object.

“Star Wars was something both Marc and I grew up watching, and it was really, really informative to our view of the future," Ive said while standing in front of the helmet.

" This idea of having the baddies in bright white shiny armor was fantastic … As an exercise, so much of what we do is trying to imagine something that doesn’t yet exist.”

Andrew Ainsworth is the prop maker for the original Stormtrooper helmet.



Although there is no official connection between Lucas and Ainsworth,Ive revealed that the historic armor had an impact on him and offers another clue as to why Apple products have had a consistent futuristic and yet minimalist appearance.

Watch the entire interview with Ive and Newson on Charlie Rose's website.