The 10th Annual Her Universe Fashion Show, presented by Mattel, kicked off San Diego Comic-Con with a standing-room-only crowd as fashion and fandom took the spotlight for an unforgettable evening. Within the first 10 minutes of the show, Her Universe founder Ashley Eckstein had revealed her highly-anticipated fashion first – a one-of-a-kind projection mapping dress that blended technology and 65 years of Barbie fashion – and Broadway star Michael James Scott kicked off the evening with an electric rendition of Katy Perry’s “Roar” that had audiences on their feet, singing and dancing. The co-hosts later revealed multiple geek couture looks inspired by beloved Mattel brands, including Barbie, Polly Pocket, Hot Wheels, and Uno.
Twenty-five designers unveiled their extraordinary creations throughout the night, each inspired by iconic fandoms and pop culture figures, including Barbie, Beetlejuice, Magic 8 Ball, Monster High, Popples and more. From intricate craftsmanship to boundary-pushing designs, every look celebrated the power of imagination, with many also honoring milestone anniversaries, including 65 years of Barbie, 35 years of Polly Pocket, and nearly 80 years of Mattel.
This year’s winning designers, who will receive the opportunity to design a fashion collection with Her Universe AND, in celebration of the 10th-anniversary show, will each win $10,000, are below:
Judges winner – Wes Jenkins, Orlando, FL, @artofwesjenkins
Audience winner – Candice Miller, Louisa County, VA, @candicedunlapmiller
To pull off Eckstein’s groundbreaking opening Barbie look, she and show director Jeremy Merrifield worked with a team of more than twenty designers, engineers, illustrators, carpenters, animators, and musicians. The team used a 40,000 lumens precision BARCO projector to celebrate 65 years of Barbie with seven iconic Barbie fashions using a single dress made with cutting-edge projection fabric from AV StumpFL. The eighth Barbie couture look was a pink design created by audience winner of the 2014 Her Universe Fashion Show, Andrew MacLaine.
The fusion between fashion and technology was led by Denise Hatcher, Managing Director of AOA, and Emmy Award-winning director Jay Hatcher of Live Everyday Studios. AOA’s creative artists and technologists, lead by Amara Freshour and Jake Taylor, designed a custom, life-size Barbie box illusion. altrd productions, led by Tony and Ashley Reser, known for their magical projection content on some of the world’s most recognizable architecture, designed custom virtual Barbie fashions and animations.
The opening was scored by renowned music team Nathan and Andrea Padgett, who arranged and produced a moving version of “Roar” for Michael James Scott. The reimagined version of the Katy Perry anthem showcased the era’s music for each of Eckstein’s iconic Barbie looks—from doo-wop to pop and disco to rock. One minute, the audience was crying, and the next minute, they were up on their feet singing.
Polly Pocket also took center stage at this year’s event. Mattel transformed the lobby into a whimsical and nostalgic Polly Pocket experience to celebrate the 35th anniversary. Guests were greeted by some of Polly Pocket’s most iconic pieces, transporting visitors back to cherished childhood memories. A personal favorite of Eckstein’s, the Her Universe founder’s second look was Polly Pocket inspired with a heart-shaped skirt that opened a life-sized Polly Pocket compact, revealing Eckstein as Polly Pocket herself in a look created by designer Andrew MacLaine and the master prop builders at MacGuffin Makers.
Other fashion highlights inspired by Mattel brands included Eckstein and Scott appearing as Totally Hair Barbie and Ken from the ’90s and in matching looks made from actual Uno cards, evoking the style of the ’70s, the decade in which the game made its debut. Michael James Scott gave a new meaning to “fast fashion” when he delighted the audience with his custom-made Hot Wheels suit and coat made by Kristi Siedow Thompson, the 2018 Her Universe Fashion Show winner, who made all of Michael’s looks. Eckstein’s couture looks were made by Andrew MacLaine. Hair and makeup were done by Veronica Nunez, with help from Leibi Carias.
The fun continued throughout the night as audience members won prizes, including 65th Anniversary Barbie dolls, Monster High Backpacks, 35th Anniversary Polly Pocket compacts, specialty Uno card decks, and more!
The Her Universe Fashion Show footage will be available online next week.
