Her Universe Fashion Show at Comic-Con will feature 25 contestants competing with ‘geek couture’ designs

Her Universe is merging the worlds of fandom and fashion to celebrate its 10th annual fashion show on Thursday at San Diego Comic-Con. 

Hosted by founder Ashley Eckstein and Broadway performer Michael James Scott, the show will feature 25 designers from across the country, drawing inspiration from this year’s collaboration with Mattel, to compete on the fashion runway. Two local designers, Allyson Vaughan and Teresa E. Craven, will represent San Diego in this year’s competition where two winners will be given an opportunity to design a collection with Her Universe. 

This year, attendees can watch as designers model their own creations centered on Mattel toy lines such as Barbie and Monster High. The Harbor Ballroom at the Manchester Grand Hyatt hotel will also be transformed into the pocket-sized universe of Polly Pocket, where guests can interact with interactive displays that pay tribute to the doll’s 35-year-old legacy. 

Guests at the free event can expect to see a fashion show presenting what Eckstein has coined as “geek couture.” From extravagant gowns to glamorous makeup, the Her Universe Fashion Show gives designers a platform to showcase their designs as part of the Comic-Con experience. 

“We have several hundred designers who enter every year and it’s absolutely painstaking to narrow it down to only 25,” Eckstein said in an email interview. “I personally read every single submission and I feel such a connection to each and every designer, so there is no way that I could pick our 25 finalists alone. We have a committee comprised of Her Universe and Hot Topic team members who choose the 25 designers who will go on to compete in The Her Universe Fashion Show.”

Eckstein – who is married to former San Diego Padres player David Eckstein – originally built the fashion brand in 2010 to change the narrative that “science-fiction and fantasy is just for boys.” As a female actress who contributed to fictional roles such as Ahsoka in the Star Wars universe, she targeted her company toward empowering female sci-fi fans with a fangirl clothing line to express themselves. 

Today, the Her Universe Fashion Show has evolved into a community where fans and designers alike can share their passion for franchises through fashion. Last year, the runway included 80’s inspired looks influenced by characters such Minnie Mouse and The Muppets.

“I came up with the phrase ‘geek couture’ when we debuted the very first Her Universe Fashion Show in 2014 to describe what we were doing,” Eckstein said. “It’s amazing to me that ‘geek couture’ is actually a thing now and fans use the phrase in regular conversation. It makes me so happy because I feel like the brilliant work that fans are doing is now being seen.”

A designer from Austin, Texas, who goes by the name Raeven K. will join this year’s expert panel of judges after her “Mistress of the Elements” gown based on Storm from the X-men won the 2023 Her Universe Fashion Show.  

This month not only marks the first anniversary of her winning the fashion competition, but also one year since starting her own small business, “That’s So Austin.” In her studio, she calls herself a modern-day “fairy godmother” dedicated to teaching her students how to sew. Now with 50 students under her wing, Raeven K. says her experience as a teacher will prepare her as a judge to have an eye for what to look for in choosing this year’s winning design. 

“As a teacher, I’m used to looking at things at a much closer level than the average viewer. I think it’s going to feel more natural than the other side of things where I was the one being judged and I hadn’t really felt like that since I was in fashion school,” Raeven K. said.

When describing what she’ll be watching for, the designer said she likes “small details” and “thoughtful constructions.”

“I’m interested to see and hear about their pattern-making techniques and how they decided to do their embellishments, what challenges they ran into and had to figure out along the way,” Raven K. said.

For guests interested in attending the Her Universe Fashion Show, doors will open at 5 p.m. and seating will be limited to a first come, first served basis. In order to receive a wristband for entry, guests can line up at 11 a.m. for wristband distribution at the Harbor Ballroom Foyer. For more information, visit the Her Universe website: heruniverse.com/her-universe-fashion-show.

Her Universe Fashion Show 2024 contestants: 

Allyson Vaughan, San Diego, California

Angela Fenn Gleason, Sandy Creek, New York

Anna Cash-Mitchell, Golden, Colorado

Bunny Jones, Southern California

Caitlin Beards, Randolph, New Jersey 

Candice Miller, Louisa County, Virginia

Cat Gravereaux, Fort Edwards, New York 

Christine Geiger, Los Angeles, California

Domonique “Dom Diva” Battle-Baber, Los Angeles, California

Duy Truong, Orlando, Florida

Emma “Emma Joy” Neuweiler, Cornelius, Oregon

Heather Smith, Denton, Texas

Jen Tan, Big Bear, California

Jennifer “Miami Falcón” Falcón, Southern Florida

Katie Strube, Orlando, Florida

Lea Gifford, Reno, Nevada

Lisa Truong, Eastvale, California 

Lynleigh Sato, Los Angeles, California

Mandy McLean Couch, Las Vegas, Nevada

Margaret Kidwell, Republic, Washington

Sam Strickland, Winter Garden, Florida

Sean Quinn, Los Angeles, California

Terence Johnson

Teresa E Craven, San Diego, California

Wes Jenkins, Orlando, Florida 

Tenth Annual Her Universe Fashion Show

When: 6 p.m. Thursday

Where: Harbor Ballroom at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, 1 Market Place, San Diego.

Tickets: Free 

Online: heruniverse.com/her-universe-fashion-show

Originally Published: July 24, 2024 at 10:11 a.m.