The 10th annual Her Universe fashion show at San Diego Comic-Con 2024 kicked off dramatically with Michael James Scott’s powerful slow performance of Katy Perry’s “Roar.”
It was a perfect indication of the show to come: a brilliant display of talent, but one that lost steam at times, with some of the show’s plot twists feeling a bit roundabout, as Scott struggled to maintain a leisurely pace as the songs picked up.
Her Universe wasn’t the only brand celebrating an anniversary. The show was sponsored by Mattel, which had three birthdays: its own 80th, Barbie’s 65th, and Polly Pocket’s 35th. In true Her Universe style, all three were featured as dresses. Of course, it started with Barbie, and it was all about cutting edge projection technology.
Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein wore dresses that used lights and projectors to transform into multiple classic Barbie looks, including a new one for the 65th anniversary, culminating in a long, pink, sparkly dress with a huge bow. Unfortunately, the dress wasn’t practical, and she kept tripping over it until Scott began helping her.
This was followed by a video of several past winners talking about how much Her Universe means to them and how strong and welcoming the community is, after which many of the winners walked the runway in new looks. Of all the amazing creations, my personal favorite was the Cheshire Cat look.
After the original designers stomped around, Scott and Eckstein returned to the stage to chatter away in retro Barbie and Ken outfits. There were plenty of people to thank, including a member of Eckstein’s team, who dressed as Ken, to much of the crowd’s enthusiasm. It probably helped that he looked just like Ryan Gosling.
Then, finally, it was time for the competition, and Eckstein and Scott appeared among the group of contestants, Eckstein in a Polly Pocket dress (which was unfortunately broken) and Scott in a Hot Wheels costume.
But the talent on display was undeniable, with Audience Award winner Candice Miller wowing everyone with the incredible textural detail of her Dune Warrior Princess look – her use of materials showing true mastery of fabric art – while Jury Award winner Wes Jenkins worked his magic creating the perfect look out of Barbie’s clothing.
Duy Truong, creator of the Sailor Moon-inspired look, and Bunny Jones, creator of the Monster High-inspired look, were particularly noteworthy not only for their creations but also for their performances on the runway.
The 10th anniversary Her Universe fashion show once again showcased the powerful creativity of otaku and the potential beauty of fandom. We can’t wait to see what comes next.
Stay tuned for more coverage from SDCC ’24 from The Beat.
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