Her Universe Celebrates 100 Years Of Disney On The San Diego Comic-Con 2023 Fashion Runway
Image: Mark Edwards
(UPDATED 8/2/2023)
The Her Universe Fashion Show has become of the marquee events during San Diego Comic-Con weekend, and this year’s show did not disappoint. More than 2,000 fans gathered in a standing-room only crowd at the Manchester Grand Hyatt on July 20 to celebrate 9 years of geek couture fashion.
Actress and Her Universe founder, Ashley Eckstein and Broadway star, Michael James Scott (The Genie in Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway) co-hosted the event this year which featured 25 designers showcating their pop culture and fandom-inspired looks for the opportunity to design two collections for Her Universe: one with Her Universe and Hot Topic, and one with Her Universe for the Disney Parks.
Eckstein opened the show in a glam, one-of-a-kind black gown with a hi-tech touch — flexible OLED screens styled as a film strip, playing scenes from Disney, PIXAR, Star Wars and Marvel movies. The gown was created as a collaboration between Disney Imagineer, Daniel Joseph and designer, Andrew MacLaine, with Disney producer John Gleim curating the video content for futuristic couture dress.
At the top, Eckstein told the audience this year’s show had been in danger of not going forward at all, due to the historic Hollywood actors’ and writers’ strikes, which have stopped work from production to promotion, including at Comic-Con.
Eckstein said she and her team worked with representatives from SAG-AFTRA to make sure that the fashion show was in compliance with strike rules and could move forward.
“They said, ‘Go do your show,’” Eckstein said. “They supported us and we support them.”
Image: Mark Edwards
Co-host, Michael James Scott also wore pop culture-inspired couture, wearing two designs by Andrew MacLaine (Genie and Darth Vader) and one by Kristi Siedow-Thompson (Thanos) while serenading the audience with performances throughout the show including special renditions of “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from Disney’s Cinderella and “Friend Like Me” from Disney’s hit Broadway musical Aladdin.
With 100 Years of Disney as a theme there was no shortage of inspiration for this year’s contestants who had two months to design, sew, and finish their runway looks. The crowd got to see designs inspired by Star Wars, Marvel, Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, National Geographic, Jeff Goldblum and more!
Image: Mark Edwards
Ultimately, a Minnie Mouse-inspired, red-and-white polka dot dress by Rachel Petterson (@pigsinpajamas) took the judges prize. A flowing, black, pearl-studded ankle-length gown inspired by the X-Men’s Storm designed by Raeven K. (@thatssewraevenk) won the audience’s prize.
Image: Mark Edwards
Image: Mark Edwards
Fashion and Fandom’s Marena Bronson got a chance to speak with Ashley Eckstein recently about the annual Her Universe Fashion Show and talked to her about what she hoped it’s lasting legacy would be:
“You know, I hope the lasting legacy of the Her Universe Fashion Show is that it leaves people with the belief that anything is possible. It's never too late to make your dreams come true. You know, we have designers that taught themselves to sew from YouTube. They didn't go to fashion school, they just decided one day that they wanted to learn to sew, and so they started looking at some videos on YouTube and now they're couture designers. We've had designers that just stumbled upon our panel at WonderCon and decided, “I want to start something new, I want to have a new dream.”And next thing you know, they're they part of our show. We've had people attend the fashion show who didn't want to be designers. But they were so inspired by the designers on the runway that they decided to pursue a new dream. And I've heard countless stories of people saying, “You know what? I was so inspired by your show I decided to go for it.” And that's what I hope… I hope that by the end of the show, everyone that watches our show will be inspired that the dreams that they wish can, and do come true.”
If you missed catching this year’s show live you can now watch it online on the Her Universe YouTube Channel or by clicking the video below. Keep scrolling for a closer look at each of the designer’s original sketches and runway creations in the galleries below!