A Minnie Mouse-inspired, red-and-white polka dot dress and a flowing, black, pearl-studded ankle-length gown inspired by the X-Men character Storm were the winners of the 2023 Her Universe Fashion Show at Comic-Con International on Thursday, July 20.
Founder Ashley Eckstein and Broadway actor Michael James Scott hosted the show at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, an “outside-the-con” event. More than two dozen designers showed pop culture and fandom-inspired looks for the opportunity to professionally design for the Her Universe brand for Hot Topic.
During the show, Eckstein became emotional and admitted to the audience that the show had been in danger of not going forward at all, due in large part to the historic Hollywood actors’ and writers’ strike, which has stopped work from production to promotion, including at Comic-Con.
Eckstein 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.”
Founder Ashley Eckstein walks the runway during The Her Universe fashion show as part of Comic-Con International at the Manchester Grand Hyatt on Thursday, July 20, 2023 in San Diego, CA.
(Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
It’s been nine years since the Her Universe Fashion Show debuted in San Diego. Now attended by hundreds of fans interested in geek couture and the blend of fashion with cosplay, the show is a night of glitz and glam, in addition to being a reputation-building showcase for talented amateur designers.
Lynleigh Sato of Redondo Beach showed an oversize jacket in fuzzy green material and pink, wide-legged pants studded with long-lashed eyes. The look was inspired by The Muppets, specifically Kermit and Miss Piggy.
“I started watching The Muppets back in the ‘80s,” Sato said, “so I decided I want to do an ‘80’s-inspired oversize jacket. The Muppet eyes are so iconic – so weird. They’re just silly-looking, but that’s what the Muppets are.”
Sato attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, studying textile design and costuming. She also has a cosplay group.
“We’re called Cosplay on the Rocks and we’re all mostly located in the South Bay.”
Leah M. Foley walks the runway during The Her Universe fashion show as part of Comic-Con International at the Manchester Grand Hyatt on Thursday, July 20, 2023 in San Diego.
(Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
The ‘80s helped inspire Rachel Petterson from the San Francisco Bay Area, whose Minnie Mouse-inspired dress was picked to win by a panel of judges of fashion industry experts and past winners, Cindy Guillermo and Michael Burson, from last year’s competition.
“The idea for this outfit came from a Minnie Mouse vinyl record I had as a child,” Petterson said. “Minnie Mouse and the ‘80s are linked in my mind.”
The gown chosen by the audience as the other winner was created by Raeven K., a designer and sewing instructor from Austin, TX. Storm is her inspiration and one of her favorite characters, she said.
Contestants were given two months to design, sew and finish their look. In that time, Terence Johnson of Los Angeles designed an outfit inspired by Prince Naveen from Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog,” consisting of a knitted coat, suit jacket and wool skirt.
Most of his designing and sewing experience “comes from cosplay,” Johnson said.
“This is purely a hobby … but maybe it’ll turn into something more in the future.”
Megg Waddington shows off the details in her skirt during The Her Universe fashion show as part of Comic-Con International at the Manchester Grand Hyatt on Thursday, July 20, 2023 in San Diego.
(Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
At the start of the show, co-host Scott, best known for playing the Genie on Broadway and in West End productions of Disney’s “Aladdin,” sang “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from Disney’s “Cinderella” before introducing Eckstein.
Eckstein arrived in a retro glam black gown with a futuristic touch: flexible OLED screens arranged like a film strip, playing scenes from Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel movies. The gown was created as a collaboration between a Disney Imagineer, a producer and a fashion designer.
“I wanted to have my favorite movies and TV shows as a dress,” Eckstein said.
While Eckstein has had several outfit changes in past shows, the screens meant she didn’t have to for this one. It was Scott who, along with a few soaring musical numbers, showed off different outfits during breaks in the show, including a Genie-inspired look, a couture Darth Vader and even the clothing version of Thanos’s Infinity Gauntlet from Marvel’s “Avengers” movies.
Scott and Eckstein are friends from high school. Eckstein showed the audience an old photo of the two of them from a school production of “Into the Woods.”
“He’s gone from a high school stage to one of Broadway’s biggest stars,” Eckstein said of Scott.
Disney Broadway actor Michael James Scott performs during The Her Universe fashion show as part of Comic-Con International at the Manchester Grand Hyatt on Thursday, July 20, in San Diego.
(Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Scott also took a moment during the show to “brag on my friend,” he said.
“This show is amazing,” he said. “People come here and they feel loved, they feel included, and they feel seen.”
At the end of the show, contestants met with their families outside of the Harbor Ballroom to celebrate a successful event. Hayden Rowe of Atlanta, who walked the runway in a Lion King-inspired look as his drag persona, Siberia the Queen, thanked his parents, Jonna and Steve Rowe, for their support.
Siberia The Queen walks the runway during The Her Universe fashion show as part of Comic-Con International at the Manchester Grand Hyatt on Thursday, July 20, in San Diego.
(Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune)
“I’ve been dabbling in cosplay and sewing since ninth or tenth grade, but started doing drag during the pandemic,” he said. “I wanted to have a certain style and still be me.”
“He just kept honing his skills and learning from everyone he admired,” said Jonna Rowe. Her husband added, “It was amazing watching him figure it out without formal training.”
How did they feel seeing their son up on the runway showing his creation to an audience of hundreds?
“Proud. So proud.”
Chacko writes for the Southern California News Group.