Her Universe Delivers DC-Inspired Couture to SDCC 2026

Comic-Con has come and gone for this year, but legends live on year-long. As one of San Diego Comic-Con’s signature opening night highlights, the Her Universe Fashion Show has become a must-attend, fan-favorite celebration of fandom, fashion, creativity, and community. And it is an experience that Comic-Con attendees and fashion enthusiasts carry with them for years. Last year, the 2025 Her Universe Fashion Show blew my mind, and this year I had the opportunity to attend its 2026 show on July 23. Once again, it was an incredible way to kick off my Comic-Con experience. Hosted annually by fandom fashion company and lifestyle brand Her Universe and its founder, American actress and designer Ashley Eckstein, the Her Universe Fashion Show has brought fandom to the forefront of fashion, and helped legitimize geek couture in the fashion world.

For years, finalist designers from across the U.S. and Canada have traveled to San Diego to showcase their original creations and potentially win the cash prize and consideration for the career-defining opportunity to design with Her Universe. With yearly contestants composed of skillful stitchers, avid cosplayers, and multi-talented designers and costumers, the Her Universe Fashion Show runway has hosted many epic originals inspired by beloved pop culture characters and franchises. And the show itself has opened so many doors for seasoned and aspiring designers, cultivating and reinforcing incredible bonds between creatives.

This year, the 12th Annual Her Universe Fashion Show celebrated the DC Universe of superheroes and supervillains and was presented by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, delivering DC-inspired geek couture to San Diego Comic-Con. On track with the DC theme, attendees had the opportunity to explore an interactive fan experience offering DC-themed photo ops, displays featuring streetwear designed by previous Her Universe Fashion Show winners, and a “Krypto’s Corner,” where pups from the non-profit PAWS of Coronado were available for adoption. I had the heart-melting experience of holding a pup named after the protagonist of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Aragorn.

Upon entry, attendees were surprised to see the entirely new runway arrangement before taking their seats and being treated with a dramatic live fashion transformation. Ashley initially donned a blank canvas that was custom-painted and transformed into DC-inspired couture, with a runway-length cape that wowed the audience. She welcomed her high school friend and co-host, American actor and singer Michael James Scott, who once again brought Broadway to the runway with his incredible rendition of Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out for a Hero” and his original song, “Brighter.” As when Michael sang his rendition of “Defying Gravity” in last year’s show, his live performances had jaws dropping in the audience. 

During the show, co-hosts Ashley and Michael sported three distinct looks that drew inspiration from iconic DC characters Superman, Green Lantern, and, lastly, Batman and Catwoman, with Ashley sporting Batman and Michael sporting Catwoman, whip and all. All of Ashley and Michael’s looks fashioned the night of the Fashion Show were designed by costume and fashion designer Andrew MacLaine, the Audience’s Choice Winner of the 2014 Her Universe Fashion Show, and assistant designer Hannah Kent, the Judges’ Choice Winner of the 2016 Her Universe Fashion Show. And their dynamic and banter shined on stage, showcasing their long-lasting, powerhouse friendship. It was very clear that Ashley and Michael loved their looks and sharing every second on stage.

As in preceding years, two winners are selected: one by a panel of expert judges and the other by the audience. Per tradition, the winners of the previous show returned as first-time judges. After contributing to the Her Universe Supergirl Collection, 2025 Judges’ Winner, costume designer and cosplayer Lynleigh Sato, who won with her Trolls-inspired “Poppy’s Hue of Happiness” design and 2025 Audience Winner, geek couture designer and seamstress Caitlin Beards, who won with her The Mummy-inspired “Couture of the Dead” design, returned sporting designs inspired by DC villains Penguin and Catwoman. The remaining judges included award-winning veteran journalist Marc Malkin, Fashion Design Director for BoxLunch, Her Universe, and Wholesale Symantha Perrera, and DC Studios Showcase podcast co-host Frankey Smith.

In previous shows, finalist designers drew inspiration from multiple franchises. However, for the first time in this event’s history, the Her Universe Fashion Show 2026 contestants were challenged to design looks inspired exclusively by DC Universe characters. This year, nineteen new and returning designers hit the runway, split into four groups.

Designer and “fashioneer” Cat Gravereaux wore her Blue Beetle-inspired design dubbed “Indigo Exo,” with stunning mechanical wings that flapped. Stitcher and cosplayer Raven Glaister wore their Cyborg-inspired design dubbed “Stone Victory,” which gave me cybernetic Cinderella vibes that I loved. Costume and fashion designer Ayana Martin wore her Slade-inspired “Slayed,” which, indeed, slayed on stage. Cosplayer Terence Johnson wore his Static Shock-inspired “Cool Current-cy,” with actual LED lights in the jacket.

Designer Gina Iwata wore her Star Sapphire-inspired design dubbed “Sapphire Style,” with 3D-printed gems. Theatrical costumer Maggie Walker’s Starfire-inspired design, “Starfire and Stardust,” was worn by model Hazel Tabor. Cosplayer, seamstress, and textile designer Ren Wilkinson wore her Beast Boy-inspired design dubbed “The Beast Within,” which transformed live on the runway into an epic after-look that wowed the audience. Designer and cosplayer Brooke Young wore her Harley Quinn-inspired design dubbed, “Smooth and Structured,” with a pearl chain overlay. Cosplayer and designer Sean Quinn wore her Harley Quinn-inspired design dubbed, “Jokes on You,” which appeared to pay equal homage to the Maid of Mischief and the traditional Harlequin.

Fashion and embroidery designer Paige Campbell wore her The Flash-inspired design dubbed “The Fastest Fashion Alive,” with an impressive blacklight effect. Apparel designer and seamstress Mandy McLean Couch’s Poison Ivy-inspired design, “Caged In Chlorophyll,” was worn by her model of choice. Seamstress and designer Jax Foss wore their Two-Face-inspired design dubbed “Seeing Double.” Costume technician Jen Wolff wore her Superman-inspired design dubbed “Fortress of Solitude,” which gave the illusion of being made of crystals. Costume designer and fabricator Marlena Dougherty wore her Katana-inspired design dubbed “Haute Katana.”

Lastly, all but one of the fourth and final group of designers sported original designs inspired by Batman, The Dark Knight of Gotham City. As a big Batsy fan, I loved this collision of the Batman multiverse. Cosplayer and mixed-media artist Katherine Everything wore their “Batman Rises” design, with a cape sporting four animatronic, flapping bats. Cosplayer and seamstress Lisa Truong wore her “I Am…” Batman-inspired design. Designer and cosplayer Christine Geiger wore her “Does It Come in Black?” design, inspired by LEGO Batman and incorporating actual LEGO pieces. Cosplayer and artist Ramon Sosongco wore his “Neo Batman” design, in respect to the cyberpunk superhero series Batman Beyond. To conclude first looks, designer and cosplayer Katie Strube wore her Catwoman-inspired design dubbed “Cat Got Your Tongue?” incorporating 1,000 actual cat toys.

After a final look at the final designs, the judges briefly left to determine their choice in private, and the audience was encouraged to pick their favorite, fill out their ballots, and hit the runway. Costumed attendees and cosplayers of all ages graced the runway, receiving so much love from the audience and looking like they were having the time of their lives. Last year, I myself happily hit the runway, and I remember how good it felt to shake hands with Ashley and skip down the stage. Being someone who grew up with heavy body image issues that bled into adulthood, it was wonderful seeing fandom and fashion embraced by every body type and age. And I’m very grateful Her Universe has helped so many people, like me, out of their shells.

When the judges returned, the 2026 Her Universe Fashion Show winners were announced, with Sean Quinn of Santa Clarita, CA, as the Judges’ Choice Winner, and Ren Wilkinson of Midlothian, VA, as the Audience Winner. As winners, Sean and Ren will have the opportunity to contribute to one of Her Universe’s future fashion lines, and their gratitude and excitement were clear on their faces. I recommend following them on social media to stay tuned for more of their creative journeys and see what they’ll accomplish next, but honestly the same goes for every finalist who graced the runway this year. With the Judges’ Winner and Audience Winner announced, the show concluded. But, for another first time in its history, Her Universe was welcoming SDCC badge holders to award a third winner. 

From July 24-26, SDCC attendees were encouraged to visit the Her Universe booth during convention center hours and choose the first Fan Spotlight Winner from the remaining finalists. With a design in mind, I revisited the HU booth, placed my vote, and, as an unexpected bonus, met 2026 Audience Winner, Ren Wilkinson! We chatted about the fashion show and her epic on-stage transformation, and I’m happy to say again that meeting Ren ended up as one of my favorite attendee interactions. I got the chance to speak with some of the designers after the show, but meeting one of them so organically and seeing their love for fandom and fashion was on another level!

After Comic-Con concluded, on July 27, Maggie Walker of Fresno, CA was announced and honored as the first-ever Her Universe Fan Spotlight Winner. And I’m not surprised; their Starfire-inspired design was stunning! As a massive fan of the 2000s Teen Titans animated series, I was psyched to see designs inspired by the superheroes of my childhood.

With Broadway-quality live performances, spectacularly original designs, and the introduction of a third winning category, the 2026 Her Universe Fashion Show was one to remember. I was honored to be on-site for this chapter of fashion history, and I hope to attend next year! May geek couture never go out of style!

Did you attend the 2026 Her Universe Fashion Show? What was your favorite look and why? What do you hope to see from Her Universe next year? Tell us in the comments.